Fateful Curse
by Heather Christi
Summary: Miroku has to deal with his curse. Sister rivalry will cause trouble and set Sango and Miroku in the middle of it. Can their love survive or will their destinies and fates be change forever? COMPLETE Epilogue next!
1. Chapter One: Fears

Fateful Curse  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of these characters sadly. Lucky Rumiko Takahashi does though. I love you Inuyasha!  
  
Please read and review this story. I will try to update as soon as I can but I will only do that when I get some reviews. At least 5 or 10 reviews for the first chapter, then I will try and post the second chapter. I hope you like reading this story because I enjoyed writing it.  
  
Basically, this story is about Miroku and him struggling with the curse that was put on his family and passed on through the generations. He has to try to conquer his fears and grab hold of the feelings that will take him through an unexpected course of life.  
  
:: thoughts::  
  
ENJOY! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter One- Fears  
  
Miroku's Point of View  
  
::It might consume me whole one of these days. It might consume us all. It might even consume the adventurous travelers who have now become my loyal and trusting friends:: I've been with them so long I consider them my family- almost. There's Lady Kagome, a joyful teenager from the future, who always seems to have a smile on her face that melts anyone's heart. There's Inuyasha, a fierce and proud half-demon, who seems to hide his emotions and thoughts behind a cold shield around his heart, but I don't really blame him too much. There's Shippo, a hungry little kitsune, who loves Kagome like a mother and he tries to protect the ones he loves. Then there's my dearest Sango, a beautiful raven-haired demon slayer, dare I say more.  
  
All five of us sat around the blazing campfire after a long day's work of killing a strong snake demon to get one or two of the shards broken apart from the Shikon no Tama, a sacred and powerful jewel willing to grant a wish for anyone who holds it in their possession. The sun was just starting to set and the sky was brilliantly lit up with the colors of violet, scarlet, pink, and orange. The smell of the 'instant ramen' was heavy in the air. It was surprising that Inuyasha wasn't drooling because of his sensitive nose picking up his favorite meal's scent. Kagome was trying to prepare the meal but Shippo was hanging over her shoulder wanting to dig right into the delicious treat in front of him. Overall everything was normal except for the fact that Sango kept glancing at me, when she thought I wasn't looking, as if I had done something wrong. Actually, I didn't really know what was going on because I was so deep in thought to really notice any of my surroundings.  
  
::I know it's going to happen soon. I feel a stab of pain shooting through my entire arm every once in a while and that can't be a good sign. I don't want to put anyone in danger, especially my friends. They've all protected my life once or twice in battle, and I can't just repay them by taking them all to death with me. We've almost gotten all the jewel shards, but Naraku, that evil psychotic jerk, has some of them. We need to defeat that guy! He's such a bastard! He's put every one of us through hell and he needs to pay for all our suffering! He MUST be defeated!!::  
  
"Hello? Miroku? Are you all right?" Sango asked me, waving her hand in front of my face. None of the words she said seemed to register in my mind.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah... I'm fine," I mumbled. "You know, I'm not really that hungry so I think I'm just going to bed now. Goodnight everyone." I got up off the hard ground and walked away from camp to the bark of the tree that was far away from camp but I could still see the fire and the people who surrounded it.  
  
I looked up to the sky, and noticed the bright colors of the sunset were gone. They were replaced by the sparkling diamonds, that were millions of mile away. Every star seemed so bright tonight and they all twinkled with a shiny glow. Everything seemed to have quieted down and all you could hear was the faint sound of the wind as it rustled through the thick, green grass. Even though it was the beginning of August, everything in nature still seemed to bloom with life. A light breeze swept past but I barely felt it.  
  
I sat there against the tree for a long time with many thoughts rummaging through my head. I kept thinking about the future, if I even had one to come. I could die at any second, any minute or anytime at all. Could we defeat Naraku in time and have my family's curse lifted? I'm not ready to leave this world but if I must, I will. I guess we can't really choose our fate.  
  
SNAP!  
  
My thoughts were broken. I tore my gaze from the sky to glance at where that noise come from. There was Sango, standing right in front of me. Her expression on her face was the expression of concern. She sat down right beside me.  
  
"Are you all right Miroku? You've been acting strange lately. I've... I mean... we've all been worried about you. Is there something on your mind?"  
  
"I'm fine. I just need some time to myself."  
  
"Ok, if that's what you want. I just want to help you. Goodnight." Sango tried to get up but I grabbed her wrist before she could and she fell into my lap. I embraced her with a hug and I felt her tense up with surprise. After a few moments of feeling her body against mine, I remembered what I was going to say.  
  
"Thank you for caring," I whispered in her ear.  
  
She relaxed a bit but before she was about to return the hug, I pulled away and released her from my embrace.  
  
"Goodnight Sango." I closed my eyes and leaned against the tree. I heard a few rustles and the grass and I felt the warmth that was beside me moments ago, was now gone.  
  
I opened my eyes and looked up to see Sango's figure walking back to camp. She stopped walking and turned around to face me. Our eyes met at that moment. A faint blush spread across her face. She looked so beautiful. She turned back to walk to camp, a little embarrassed. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep with an image of Sango that burned in my mind. 


	2. Chapter Two: Alone Together

Fateful Curse  
  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of these characters in my story, sadly. Lucky Rumiko Takahashi does though. Aishiteru Inuyasha and Sesshomaru! Love you bunches, love you tons!  
  
Please read and review this story. I will try to update regularly every other week, switching from my other story Five Jewels, Two Souls, One Destiny. That one is my main goal to finish. I haven't gotten enough reviews to post this chapter but I will do so anyway. I hope you like reading this story because I enjoyed writing it.  
  
:: thoughts::  
  
Note: When I put the story in someone's point of view, it will NOT always be written in first person, but also third person. The person's point of view is displaying that person's thoughts and no one else's.  
  
Read, review and ENJOY!  
  
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Chapter Two: Alone Together  
  
Sango's Point of View  
  
Sango woke up to the feeling of something warm pressing against her cheek. She moaned out in irritation and annoyance. ::Make that warm whatever it is go away! I want to sleep!:: The warm feeling was gone for a moment and Sango relaxed, thinking all was good again. Once again, the warm heat was resting against her cheek. ::If that warm presence doesn't go away in five seconds, it's history! 5... 4... 3.... 2... 1... Too late!::  
  
Sango's eyes opened wide and she sprung out into action at the cause of the warm feeling. She could've been a little more careful...  
  
"Sango! OUCH! This burns! Get it off!" There was a Miroku and he was a site to see. His robes were dirty and covered with the hot liquid of the Ramen noodles. His hair and some parts of his clothes were covered and hidden beneath the Ramen noodles. He was jumping up and down, shaking and flinging his body in all directions, trying to remove the burning sensation from his body. "BURNS! OUCH!" Sango tired to hold in her laughter but only succeeded for a few moments before turning into a helpless bundle of giggles. She clutched at her stomach and tears of laughter were coming to her eyes. ::Poor Houshi-sama, but I guess he got what was coming. Sneaking up on people when they were asleep. I bet he was trying to grope me in my sleep. He never learns::  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Five Minutes and A Whole Bunch of Laughter Later~*~*~*~*~*~  
They were sitting around the comfortable campfire, on opposite sides, in the thick forest. They were about a day or two away to get back to Kaede's village, if they walked on foot. The sun had already risen hours ago. It was probably around 8 in the morning. ::I could have slept a little bit longer:: Sango looked down at the burning embers in the low fire.  
  
"So Houshi-sama, what were you doing holding a cup of Ramen up to my face? Trying to burn me or grope me once again?" ::Then again, he hasn't touched me for a few days now. I wonder what's going on with him::  
  
" Little innocent me? How could you think I would do such a thing to you?" Sango tore her gaze away from the fire and peered untrustworthily up at the perverted monk sitting across from her. His eyes were teasing and playful, just like his personality. ::You can really see his soul through his eyes if you look close enough. Whoa, I just freaked myself out. Me wondering if there's any depth to this perverted priest::  
  
Suddenly she felt like something was missing. Something was out of place. It didn't feel right. She couldn't exactly place what it was. It seemed a little too quiet. There was not enough noise as there should have been. ::Wait. I'm ALONE in the woods with Houshi-sama. Why am I alone with him?::  
  
Before she could speak up and ask where the others were, a low rumble came from the pit of Sango's stomach. A blush spread her cheeks like wildfire in embarrassment. ::Well, a girl's got to eat:: She put on an innocent, yet cautious, smile, pleading to have some delicious food a.k.a. ramen. Miroku understood and handed her a cup of that steaming hot, smelling good, tasty, wonderful, amazingly great, awesomely delicious, miraculous, powerful, gorgeous, beautiful, flavorful, happy, heart- thrilling and pounding, joyful, groovy baby (A/N: You see where I'm going with this hopefully -.-*) Anyway, he walked around the campfire and handed her a cup of ramen. (A/N: All that space for ramen... what's it worth it? ~pleads with fans to get over the big space taken~ ^_^)  
  
Sango took the cup with happiness and started attacking the food with hunger. She didn't realize how hunger she was. She didn't eat much yesterday after the fighting. They just sat down around the campfire, just like Sango and Miroku were doing now. Then the remembrance of the hug she and him shared came to Sango mind. She blushed deeply with that thought. Sango then suddenly became aware of how close Miroku was sitting next her. She blushed an even darker shade of scarlet then before. ::Wait, what's going on? He's NOT groping me! That's a first... Maybe he's trying to be innocent to cover up what he's going to do next:: Sango's reflexive defensive walls came up and she became really cautious and suspicious of the monk who traveled with her and the rest of the group. Then it hit her.  
  
Sango stopped eating, if that's what you call it, her food and realized that not everyone was here like they were supposed to be. ::Where's Shippo and Inuyasha? Where's Kagome? Oh no, this is NOT happening. I'm ALONE with this hentai monk!:: She started choking on the remainder of the food that was in her mouth.  
  
Miroku started rubbing and gently hitting her on the back. "Are you ok Sango?" She wasn't exactly in the proper position to answer the question at the moment. She just started coughing and trying to remove the noodles from her throat that were causing her distraught and annoyance. Miroku kept rubbing on her back and occasionally hitting her gently to stop her from gagging and choking.  
  
Finally, when she had calm down and was breathing as normally as she could after a choking session, she opened her mouth to ask where the others had went, but only to be interrupted by the pervert himself.  
  
"They left," he said in a gentle and low voice. That's all he said. No details about it. Just 'they left'. That's it. Nothing more. Of course Sango had to know more about the reason why she was left with him alone.  
  
"Well? Where'd they go? Why'd they leave soon and without telling us?" Sango's annoyance to the problem was quite clear and evident in her voice. (My guess, she got on the wrong side of the bed.)  
  
Miroku turned to her with a playful and some other look in his eyes that she couldn't quite describe. Sango lightly blushed and got a little uncomfortable of the look in his eyes. She got a little light- headed. Her reflexive walls went slightly down, but she recovered as quickly as she could and got up. "Never mind Houshi-sama. Tell me later. I'm going to go to the warm springs and clean up. You better not follow me and try to sneak a peek or else." Warning was very clear in her voice and an evil glint was gleaming in her eyes.  
  
She turned around to go gather the 'towel' Kagome called from her time but something grabbed her from behind and pulled her down with bone- cracking force to the cold ground. A sharp rock jabbed her hard in the forehead and she blacked out. The last thing she remembered was Miroku's worried and concerned face as she slipped into the dark world of unconsciousness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I hope you liked my second chapter. Sorry I didn't update sooner but I had a writer's block, but my heart really isn't into this story. I will finish it since I already started it. I won't update for a while but I did have those wonderful blushing scenes with Miroku and Sango and their glances that they shared. Isn't that wonderful? Next chapter will be fluffy. I promise. This will give it away but there might even be a... KISS! Just hope! ^_~ You never know... please review with your thoughts and comments to their chapter and my story overall. I love reviews!! ^_^ Read my other stories too, if you like this one. Oh yeah, sorry for the typos if there was some.  
  
-Heather Christi  
  
Coming next: Chapter Three: Survival of the Fittest  
  
Summary: Danger and the clouds of death seem to be standing over our two heroes as they battle it out for the escape with another piece of the Shikon no Tama and their lives! Will they live to tell the tale? 


	3. Chapter Three: Survival of the Fittest

Fateful Curse  
  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of these original characters in my story, sadly. Lucky Rumiko Takahashi does though. Aishiteru Inuyasha and Sesshomaru and all! Love you bunches, love you tons! I do own Otaki-seisui and Okibi-shashu, however. They are mine! I made those two!  
  
I haven't updated in a while but forgive me! Birthday parties have been happening. Friends and special occasions have also come up! ^_^ PLEASE forgive me! I introduced TWO new characters to this story. That should make up for it!  
  
::thoughts::  
  
Read and review! ENJOY!  
  
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*Last chapter:  
Miroku ignored what Sango was telling him 'cause something inside him told him to look over to his right and he trusted his intuition and instincts, so he did. He saw a bright red flash of something zoom across the air, heading directly at Sango. As it was getting closer and closer, Miroku knew he had to do something before that object ended his companion's life. Everything afterwards started happening as if it was in slow motion.  
  
Before he knew what he was doing, he jumped up off the ground and launched his body at Sango. He felt that flying object scrape across his back while he was in mid-air. He winced in pain but he landed on top of the softness of Sango's body. Miroku looked down and noticed Sango was falling into the dark world of unconsciousness.  
  
*Chapter Three: Survival of the Fittest  
  
Miroku's Point of View and Thoughts  
  
::Damn it! What the hell was that thing?:: Miroku looked around and noticed an arrow stuck in a pine tree behind them. He looked back down at Sango seeing a gash on her forehead. ::Damn me! I couldn't protect her!:: Miroku then noticed he was lying on top of Sango's body. He slightly blushed but quickly got off so he wouldn't crush her.  
  
Miroku looked around cautiously, getting off the ground to walk over to the tree where that arrow was stuck in. Still peering around and keeping a close eye on Sango, he reached out his left curse-less hand to feel for the arrow. When he grasped it, an electric shock poured into his body. He let go with surprise and pain, examining his hand. ::A little burnt but okay. What was that? Is there a spell on it?::  
  
As Miroku was searching the mystified arrow, he noticed a red bird's feather was attached to the end. ::Looks like a falcon feather:: He suddenly sensed something in the air. Something tainted with much evil was close, too close. ::Is it Naraku?:: He looked around, peering and checking the forest around him and Sango. His gaze caught another red flash but this time- it was coming at him- VERY fast! He didn't have any time to move out of the arrow's direct path of fire and it struck him right in his left shoulder.  
  
Miroku cried out in pain and tried to grasp the arrow to pull it out. It was burning his flesh. The arrow was enchanted like the other. As he grasped the arrow, it shocked him. He pulled his left hand back from the cause of the pain. The arrow was burning him even more. He decided that the shock from the enchanted arrow was more bearable than this burning sensation in his shoulder. He took hold of the arrow but as it shocked him, he didn't let go. Miroku started pulling on the arrow, which was still burning and shocking him at every moment. It was lodged very deep in his flesh. He groaned and cried out in pain many times but he finally got the intruding object out of him. The enchanted burning arrow was glowing a bright scarlet color. He quickly broke it in half and threw the remains onto the forest floor. He placed his hand on top of his wound. He glared at the cursed arrow and turned his gaze to where the arrow had come from in the first place.  
  
Out in the distance stood a tall, slender woman. She looked about 17 or 16 and she stood proud with a bow in her hands. Another red falcon feather rested on the top of her bow. Her golden eyes glared down at Miroku with a cold, hateful look. Her long, wavy, waist-length dark auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders and gleamed with the morning sun. Miroku stared up at her, dumbfounded. ::A demon? Why in hell is she attacking us?::  
  
Without any warning, she stood in front of him, just a few feet away, challenging with her eyes to try and do anything to harm her. Miroku got a good look at her then. She had two red lightning-shaped stripes across her left cheek. Her fair light skin was flawless. On her two elf ears, that reminded him of Sesshomaru, were a pair of red falcon feather earrings. Her golden eyes had specks of orange and scarlet. Part of her right eye was covered with her long, wavy hair. Her lips were full and the shade of a red rose in bloom. A gold choker was wrapped around her skinny neck.  
  
She was wearing a midnight black vest over a tight, long sleeved crimson dragon skin shirt. She looked toned and a bit muscular. She had on large onyx-colored pants that were similar to Kikyo's. A gold chain was around her waist to hold up her pants. It looked pure gold like her choker. Dark scarlet sandals completed her assemble.  
  
Miroku almost faltered at her appearance. She was a vision of perfection like a goddess, who was not of this world but from something a lot better. She seemed to glow with the radiance of her amazing beauty. Only problem was that her heart and her gaze was filled with hatred and fire. A fire that was burning and fueled on the power of evil.  
  
"Do you have the Shikon no Tama monk?" Her voice was like ice. Cold, remote, aloof, distant, icy. Where was her fire?  
  
Miroku seemed to have lost his voice while staring at this woman in front of him. ::What does she want with the jewel?:: She was standing proud and tall with power. Her face scrunched up in annoyance and disgust. She was getting very impatient. She reached inside her vest and pulled out a shiny metal object with a red falcon feather attached at the base. Miroku quickly registered in his mind that it was a dagger, meaning to kill him. ::Uh oh. This isn't too good, now is it::  
  
"Answer me or I shall be forced to slice your throat. I have no pity on people like you, monk." She raised the dagger up, pointing it at Miroku. "NOW, do you have the jewel or not?!" Fire seemed to shoot from her eyes. Her voice changed from aloof and calm to hatred and evil.  
  
Miroku thought now was a good a time as any, so he shook his head left and right so fast he was getting a headache.  
  
The woman in front of him got more upset and her features on her face darkened. Her eyes shined with hatred and anger. She turned her gaze away from Miroku and peered down at her dagger. She stared and her eyes started to glow a bright red like her arrow had done earlier this morning. As if she was willing the dagger to do what she wanted, she made it grow. It no longer was a tiny dagger, but a long sharp sword to do as she pleased with. Abruptly, she turned her gaze to Miroku with her face tainted with evil and still glowing eyes. She spoke. "Damn you! You don't serve a purpose to me, so DIE and ROT in hell!!"  
  
With that, she lunged at Miroku, prepared to kill him with one blow to the heart. Miroku wasn't prepared enough for her attack and tried to pull up his right arm, to pull her into the endless void in his hand, but thought against it. ::If it's my time to die, I shall die:: At the last moment as Miroku waited for that soul-stealing blow to come, a whip came out of the forest and wrapped itself around the sword. It pulled the sword out of the woman's grip, which made the sword turn back to the tiny dagger as it was before. The whip pulled back taking the dagger with it.  
  
The owner of the whip stepped out of the forest and into both the woman's and Miroku's sight. It was another woman and she looked similar to the other except she was different, a lot different yet the same. She was holding up the dagger that belongs to the other.  
  
She was small and slender and appeared to be 17 or 16. She had elf ears with dark blue falcon feather earrings. She had a pair of smoky gray- silver eyes with specks of dark and sky blue. Full pinks lips and high cheekbones too. Two lightning-shaped dark blue stripes across the right side of her cheek were like the other woman's. Her hair was also waist- length and wavy but it was light sky blue. Instead of fair skin like the other woman's, she had tan skin. A silver choker was wrapped around her tiny neck.  
  
Her silver-colored vest was worn over her tight-long-sleeved dark sapphire dragon skin shirt. She also had large cloud white pants that were like Kikyo's and the other woman's. A silver chain held her pants where they were. It looked pure silver like her choker. Her sky blue sandals looked very comfortable. ::Another demon?::  
  
Miroku could sense no evil around her. She seemed pure and angelic, a true goddess. Her heart was clean with good intentions, unlike the other woman's. She didn't seem selfish. She was simply good and true. She spoke up and broke Miroku out of his thoughts.  
  
"Still killing random people, Okibi-shashu? Or do you still have your reasons for this nonsense?" She tossed the dagger to the ground, in front of the other woman's feet. She sounded angry but her voice was also filled with pity and sadness. Miroku wondered about the other's name. ::Okibi- shashu? Who would name their offspring blazing fire archer? Of course, it does suit her well I admit::  
  
"Otaki-seisui! Don't call me that! You don't belong here! Get away and leave me be!" Okibi-shashu's eyes were blazing with angry and hatred that was all directed for Otaki-seisui. Miroku thought about the other's name. ::Otaki-seisui means cascade pure water. That's kind of a weird name. Different though::  
  
"Don't call you what? Your name? Okibi, stop this! What's wrong with you?! Don't you understand peace and forgiveness?! Leave this monk be! He doesn't deserve your slaughtering!" Otaki-seisui was very mad indeed at Okibi's desire to kill innocent people's lives. (A/N: Okibi is the red-haired woman. Otaki-seisui is the light blue haired woman. Don't mix them up! They are WAY different)  
  
"DON'T call me THAT name!" Her eyes burned with rage and started glowing the bright red color. The dagger started glowing from the ground. It started floating in the air and landed in Okibi's palm. She grasped the dagger tightly and made it grow back to the sharp long sword. "GET out of HERE or I shall be forced to fight YOU, Otaki, to the DEATH! DON'T THINK I WON'T!"  
  
"Don't do this! There's other ways to settle things! Why is fighting the only option for you?" Otaki raised her voice to Okibi. She pulled out her own dagger with a dark blue falcon feather at the base. She made it grow until it was the same size as Okibi's sword.  
  
"Prepare for YOUR death Otaki!" Okibi ran straight, sword clasped in both her hands. She let out a war cry. Her sword hit Otaki's with a loud high- pitched 'cling' that rang throughout the forest. Sword clashed against sword in this heated battles, neither wanted to give up on this fight until it was over. As the fight raged on, Otaki tried to convince her opponent to stop with her killing madness and make peace with the world and its people. Okibi wouldn't listen to her, she just fought and tried to find a way to get the upper hand in this battle.  
  
Miroku took this time to race over to Sango's body. He checked her neck and wrist for a pulse and found one. It was strong so he was sure she was fine. He needed to get her out of here before something happened to them. He didn't want to get in the middle of those spirited women's battle; he had to take care of Sango.  
  
He picked her up as best as he could. He still had to be careful with his wound on his shoulder. It still burned like hell but first was first. He needed to find them shelter of some kind. He turned back around to face the two women. The woman named Otaki was surrounded and glowed a bright white light. Her eyes were gleaming the same sky blue color as her hair. She was chanting something over and over. Her voice started to raise as she spoke more and more of the familiar words.  
  
"I call to the heavens to bring me some faith. Bring me faith! Connect me to you! Nyuuyoku ware oite goshujin sanshou kyou sakae!" Miroku looked up to the sky and saw the clouds start to form. The sky was getting more cloudy every second and a fog was starting to set in. Sunlight shined down from the sky and shined onto Otaki's form, bathing her in the warm heat of the light. A little raindrop fell onto the tip of Miroku's nose. He wiped it away with irritation. ::Not now::  
  
As if someone dropped a bucket of water out of nowhere, the rain just started pouring, hard. They rain was getting them all soaked and cold with rainwater, except for Otaki who was heated with the sun's rays. Rain hit everyone with its wet drops but her.  
  
Miroku's arm started to sting worse as those raindrops fell heavily onto his left shoulder. He turned his back on the two women and walked into the forest looking for some shelter of some kind for Sango and himself. The fog and rain was only going to delay them from finding any type of warmth and comfort for the day and night. How long was this storm going to last?  
  
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Well that wraps up the third chapter. Hope you liked it. I know I told you it would be fluffy but I'm saving it for next chapter. PLEASE DON'T KILL OR FLAME ME! They will be alone. ^.~ I just wanted to get some action into the story right now. It's still kind of short but I tried to make this chapter longer than the last. It's around 1:45 AM right now and I'm tired. I'm supposed to go to Wet & Wild today and well, I might be too tired to go. -.-* Maybe the cold water there will wake me up!  
  
Alright, you read this so review!! I'll be waiting for them! By the way, if you like this story, check out my other ones too! Sorry if there was any spelling errors! Hopefully you understood me!  
  
'Nyuuyoku ware oite goshujin sanshou kyou sakae' means 'Bathe me in your praise and glory'.  
  
-Heather Christi ^_^ 


	4. Chapter Four: Hidden in the Shadows

Fateful Curse  
  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of these characters in my story, sadly. Lucky Rumiko Takahashi does though. Aishiteru Inuyasha and Sesshomaru and all! Love you bunches, love you tons!  
  
I hope you like this chapter. I tried to make it as kawaii as possible without getting out of character. It's kind of hard when I haven't really seen anything go on between Sango and Miroku. I'm making this up as I go along. HOPE YOU LIKE!  
  
::thoughts::  
  
ENJOY!  
  
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Chapter Four: Hidden in the Shadows  
  
Miroku was trying hard to see his way through all the fog, and the heavy rain didn't help much. It kept pounding down hard onto his body, slowing down his pace and diminishing his hope to find any place of comfort and safety out of the cold rain. His feet kept getting caught and stuck in the dark mud below him. His clothes were drenched and felt like ice against his skin. He couldn't feel it anyway because his body had gone numb a while ago. His hair was matted down on his head and some of his bangs got in front of his eyes. So he would have to stop or slow down and wipe them away. He held Sango close to him, trying to provide any warmth for the unconscious demon exterminator lying limply in his arms. Her face was buried in his chest. Her hair was heavy with the rainwater and her clothes were drenched and clinging to her body. Her skin was pale and the gash on her forehead looked a little deep and infected. Miroku could easily tell that she was as cold and as numb as he was.  
  
Miroku tried hard to sustain Sango's body weight in his arms but it was hard and very painful. It wasn't like Sango was heavy or anything but the wound on his left shoulder had reopened and it was causing him a lot of pain to keep holding onto Sango. He knew he couldn't just let her go. He couldn't abandon her out in the forest alone. He couldn't ever do that to his Sango. She meant too much to him.  
  
His foot got caught on a tree root and Miroku couldn't keep his balance. He fell over taking Sango with him. Miroku knew he was going to land face first but he didn't want himself to fall on top of Sango and crush the rest of the life out of her. In midair, he twisted his body around just enough so he landed on his left side, onto his wounded shoulder.  
  
Miroku shut his eyes tight and cried out in agony and animosity. The familiar burn came back to his shoulder and ran through his shoulder blade. It stung one hundred times worse than a bee sting. He faintly felt the blood seep down his arm and dripped down his chest. Miroku looked down at Sango's form and noticed Sango's skin was covered in dark brown mud and another shade paler than a few moments ago. She was getting worse.  
  
Miroku lifted his cursed hand and brushed his fingers against Sango's cheek. Once his fingers connected to her flesh, he brought them away in surprise. She was colder than ice and she was sickly pale. He knew he HAD to get her out of the pounding rain and into a warmer surrounding. He got to his knees and picked Sango up gently, adjusting her in his arms with Sango's head resting in the crook of his neck. He wasn't going to let Sango stay in this harsh weather. He brought himself off the ground and to his feet.  
  
He was oblivious to the fast-falling rain and to the burning and stinging ache in his shoulder. Miroku started running, looking around best he could through the fog for any kind of shelter. He just kept running, not giving into his exhaustion and collapse. He couldn't give up hope and his faith. He had to find something! He stumbled a few times but kept his balance. He was determined to find a safe place for his Sango. ::Stay strong Sango. Stay strong. Stay alive::  
  
Then, he stopped. He sensed something wrong. Miroku took a few steps backwards. His back bumped into a tree trunk. ::Where'd that come from?:: Out of no where, a bolt of lightning came from the heavens and lit up the area, clearing the fog for a few moments. Miroku then saw a rock boulder that caught his eye. ::There!:: He was just about to run forward when another bolt of lightning came and struck the large tree in front of him, blocking his path to their safety. ::NO!::  
  
He glared at the tree enraged. The rain seemed to pour down harder as if it was feeding off of Miroku's distress. The tree was so thick, you'd have to be like Inuyasha to jump that high up and over. They'd have to go around the tree, which would delay them from getting to shelter sooner.  
  
Miroku started running to the right, keeping the tree in sight to his left. The fog seemed to get thicker and Miroku's eyesight barely could see the outline of objects. He finally found the end of the long tree trunk but he didn't see the scratchy branch hanging down for the stump. It sliced against his left cheek sharply, tearing his flesh. Another branch attached to the stump scratched and tore into his wound on his shoulder. He hissed in pain. The blood that trailed down his cheek mixed with the rainwater that continued to shower down them like rocks.  
  
He continued to run to the place he saw when the lightning flashed before. He headed straight in hopes that he'd find it. His arms kept getting caught on branches. His hair was pulled and yanked at by the hanging branches. Miroku ignored it and trailed further through the forest. ::Where's that place I saw? It couldn't be that far away::  
  
Minutes passed and he still couldn't find it. ::Damn it! Sango might freeze to death if she stays out in this weather!:: Miroku started running faster. His throat felt cold and arid. His lungs were tight and it was harder to breathe. Exhaustion was coming even closer but he fought the urge to collapse. ::Can't quit now. Have to find that stupid place. Have to save Sango::  
  
The rain fell heavier and the fog still wouldn't lift. All was dark and eerie. Miroku was lost and he couldn't tell which way he was going anymore. He had stopped running but still kept his feet moving at a fast pace.  
  
Then he felt something tug at him, willing him to turn around and go the other way. He hesitated at first but looked down at Sango and noted her lips were a sickly pale blue color. He rushed quickly back the other way and started to run in the direction the unknown force pulled him. He continued to run until he came to a stop in front of a log cabin. ::Thank Kami-sama::  
  
Miroku rushed into the log cabin and closed the door behind him; not letting any rain come into the house, fate had brought them to. His eyes adjusted to the dark and searched around the cabin for anything that could supply warmth. His eyes skimmed over a bed. ::Thank Kami-sama::  
  
He darted over to the bed and placed Sango in it. Miroku looked around the cabin and his eyes fell upon a fireplace. Fresh wood was neatly stacked by its side. He put a few logs into the fire pit and lit it up, spreading warmth throughout the cabin. He went back over to Sango's side. He frowned when he noticed Sango was shivering because of the freezing articles of clothing she wore. She needed to get out of those before she froze and got in a worse condition. He blushed at the thought of Sango naked. ::No time to think about that now. I need to get her out of those things. No doubt she's going to abuse me when she finds out later::  
  
He removed her clothes, careful not to brush his fingers on her skin. He kept his eyes focused on the ceiling. He felt his cheeks warm up with the heat of his blush. Finally, when Miroku got her out of her icy garments, he tucked her frozen shivering body under he blankets on the bed.  
  
Miroku looked around the cabin, in hopes of finding more blankets to heat up Sango. He found a couple and tossed them onto Sango's form on the bed. After long moments, she continued to shiver and her skin seemed to turn more sickly paler than before. The bruise on her forehead stood out on her skin and her lips were tinted with blue. Miroku felt guilty that he couldn't have gotten her to safety faster. She might have been okay. His heart broke to see her in a position like this. ::She's going to kill me when she finds out what I'm going to do, but I'm not going to let her freeze to death because of me::  
  
Miroku removed his own clothing and shivered as he felt the freezing air blow against his own skin. He climbed into the bed and pulled Sango close to him, trying to provide her with any kind of warmth. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and pulled her even closer, sharing his body heat with her.  
  
"Don't die on me Sango. You'll live. You can survive this. I know you can. You're strong and you'll live on. Please get better," he whispered into her ear.  
  
He stroked her hair and rubbed her back, trying to produce a spark of warmth and comfort. Miroku leaned down and kissed the bruise on her forehead lightly.  
  
"We'll get through this. I know we will." Miroku pulled her even tighter to his body. The fire was warming the cabin up and he could feel the heat of it slightly through the blankets. He rested his head on top of Sango's and closed his eyes.  
  
"Goodnight, my love." Miroku kissed her once more on top of her head and he finally let his exhaustion take over and he fell into a blissful sleep, ready to awaken to the next day that lay ahead them.  
  
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Okay! That's that! Wow huh? I finished another chapter. That was fun. I added more fluff to it and next chapter will be even better. More fluff and this time, is it Sango's turn?? Please review.  
  
-Heather Christi 


	5. Chapter Five: The Awakening

Fateful Curse  
  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of these characters in my story, sadly. Lucky Rumiko Takahashi does though. Why not me? I'm creative. I love Sessy and Rin. I love Sango and Miroku. I love Shippo and Kirara. I love Kagome and Inuyasha. AISHITERU EVERYONE, except for Kikyo, Naraku, and Jaken. Kaede's ok. Just ok. -.-*  
  
Here's part of Sango and Miroku's version of when they woke up.  
  
::thoughts:: ENJOY!  
  
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Chapter Five: The Awakening  
  
::So warm. Feels good. Don't leave:: Sango stirred in her sleep, subconsciously aware of the cause of the warmth she was feeling. ::Need more. Feel cold:: Sango pulled the cause of warmth closer to her body, wanting to feel more relaxed and comfortable. ::So soft and smooth:: She rubbed her cheek against the cause of warmth and nuzzled it. ::Feel relaxed. Feel good:: She tried to wiggle closer to the cause of the warmth, pulling it tightly to her. ::Feel better now:: Sango then drifted back into an inviting slumber.  
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Miroku felt something nuzzle him in his chest. He tried to ignore it and continue his dream he was having. He felt something wiggle against him but he tried to focus on his dream. Again, something pulled him tighter to it and then relaxed. Miroku tried to relax and keep his focus on his dream. It was hard to figure out what was going on. It didn't make any real sense.  
  
{---[::Miroku's Dream::]---}  
  
I'm spinning. I'm spinning around in circles. I look down. I'm spinning inside small circles. As I spin faster, the circles grow larger. Larger and larger they grow. It's solid. I'm getting dizzy. The circle opens and I fall through. I close my eyes and wait for the end of the fall. I open my eyes because I haven't landed. I am standing still. It's very dark and I'm all alone. By myself. Trapped and alone in a dark room. Darkness seems to close in on me because I'm bright and I have light. The darkness wants the light gone. Walls are closing in. Darkness is coming closer.  
  
The darkness is less than an inch away and I want my light to stay. I close my eyes and scream out. The darkness seems to fall to the ground like it was only a blanket to cover me up. I'm surrounded, by clean white walls. I look around and run over to the nearest wall to my right. I search around to get out but a red line falls from the ceiling onto the wall, tainting it and making the wall dirty. I reach out to touch the red line but more lines come down and cover the wall with the red mess. I try to pull my hand, my cursed hand, back from the wall but I can't. My cursed hand reaches forward to touch the red wall. It's sticky. I realize what the red is. Blood. Red blood is coating the wall!  
  
The wall seems to grow hands and it pulls me into it. I try to pull back but I can't move. I can't control my own body. I surrounded by all the blood. It's trying to suffocate me but instead, I feel like I'm drowning in it. My eyes are closed because I don't want to see all the blood on my body.  
  
I can finally move at the last instant of my life. I push forward and the blood comes off. I open my eyes and my eyes hurt because it's so bright. My eyes adjust and I feel something in my hands. I look down and in my hands is a pillow. A big white fluffy soft pillow. I turn the pillow over and a knife is pressed into the pillow. I try to pull it out but it's stuck and the knife burns my hand. I retract my hand and drop the pillow. Once it hits the ground, it turns into a rotting corpse. Skin is dripping off the corpse and it falls onto the ground. I stare at it in shock. The corpse's head turns to me smiling evilly. Its hand reaches to touch me but I move back, away from it.  
  
The corpse's body turns to water. More water comes from nowhere and drops from the sky. It falls on top of my head and I fall to the ground. The water swallows me up, and it weighs me down so I can't move. I can breathe underwater. I'm not going to drown. My eyes are opened and the water disappears and falls away. I'm on an island. There's a forest on the island. I walk up onto the shore and a door is standing in front of me. I hear a voice, trying to tell me something, but I can't make out the words. Something won't let me listen but I have to. The voice won't repeat itself.  
  
Curiosity gets the better of me. I reach out and pull on the rusty handle of the white door. I pull hard on the handle and the door swings open so fast it almost hit me and threw me to the ground. Darkness comes out of the door. It climbs onto my body. First it crawls over my legs, up my thighs, to my stomach. I can't move my lower body. I try to move and get out of there before it consumes all of me. It's so cold. The darkness is freezing and nothing can warm me up. The darkness reaches up to my neck and I hear the voice. I can make out the words this time.  
  
'You should have known better. It has awakened now. It shall not be a good future, for the past will ruin thy future. Your destiny and your fate have now changed! It has awakened! It shall not have pity on thy souls! Awaken...'  
  
{---[::End of Dream::]---}  
  
Miroku awoke with a start. He was shivering. He was cold from the darkness in his dream. ::How can a dream be real? It isn't. My mind is only playing with me:: He looked down and saw Sango in his arms, still sleeping. Her raven hair was spread out, cascading over his and her arms. Her pink full lips were slightly pouting and her skin didn't look so ghostly pale as before. She looked like an angel. But her skin still felt icy cold. ::She must be a little sick. I should have gotten her out of the rain sooner::  
  
Miroku tightened his hold on Sango and rubbed his hands up and down her back, trying to share what was left of his warmth. He fingered and traced the scar on her back, a scar that was given to her by her brother Kohaku. Miroku pulled his cursed hand up to his sight. His rosary beads clanked together at his movement. ::Everyone has their scars. Some are just deeper than others:: He set his hand back onto Sango's back.  
  
Miroku remained content for a while, listening to Sango's steady breathing, rubbing her back, and playing with her hair. Her head rested on the crook of his neck. Her breath felt so warm as it touched his skin. Her naked body was pressed up against his own. Her legs were wrapped around his. Her hands were placed on his chest and his warmth radiated throughout her body. ::I better get up before she wakes up a catches me with her. Sango will not take lightly to this compromising position:: He reluctantly untangled himself out of Sango's grasp, but she tried to reach out and pull him back to her.  
  
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- - - - ::Where's the warmth going? Stay with me. Don't leave:: Sango reached out to grab the warmth and pull it back. The warmth shushed her and said he'd be right back. She listened to the warmth and she trusted him. She wrapped herself deeper into the blankets, which still radiated from his warmth. ::Come back soon, my warmth. I need you:: Sango frowned and waited for him to come back.  
  
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Miroku told Sango he'd be right back and he went over to the dim fire. He had hung his and Sango's clothes near the fire so they could dry. Miroku touched his clothing but noticed they were still a little damp. He looked down at Sango's clothes and brushed his hand over it. ::At least hers had dried:: He turned his gaze back to Sango's sleeping form. Her bare back was to him so he couldn't get a look at her angelic face. He resisted the urge to go over to her and rub his hands up and down her creamy skin. ::Stop thinking about her like that!:: Miroku decided he should get dressed before Sango got up and discovered him naked. He dressed himself as fast as he could.  
  
Once Miroku was dressed, he looked over to the window. It was still raining, but not as hard as before. One could hear the rain as it hit on top of the roof of the cabin. It was the early evening, he could tell, but it was still dark outside. ::I guess we can't leave for a while. I hope there's some food in this cabin::  
  
Miroku searched the one room cabin for any signs of food but found none. ::Oh great. Just my luck. No food. I can't let Sango starve to death:: He removed Sango's clothes away from the fire and lain them on a chair over by Sango's side of the bed. Miroku added more dry logs to the fire pit and they quickly caught on flame. ::I hope that's enough::  
  
He walked over to Sango and placed a hand on her cheek. ::She feels warmer. I'm glad:: Miroku smiled down at her with hints of love in his eyes and right at that moment, Sango chose to wake up from her sleep.  
  
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- - - - - ::What is that presence I sense near me? It seems awfully familiar:: Sango felt something resting on her face. ::So soft. Just like that warmth:: Sango then seemed to regain her common sense and tried to put two and two together. ::Wait a moment. There was only one person who I was with this morning. There could only be one person with me. The others left me alone with him, so the person with me now has to be....::  
  
Sango opened her eyes and came face to face with the monk himself. His smiling face was only a few inches away from hers. She blushed at the close proximity. Her chocolate brown eyes were filled with dread and anger. Both of them had the same thought in mind.  
  
::This is NOT going to end out too good::  
  
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^_^ So, how do you like? Is it what you expected or what? I hope you liked it 'cause I liked writing it. I know the dream is kind of weird and all but it should make sense in the end, which will be a while. I ended out kind of in a cliffhanger but just wait- the best is yet to come!! ^_^ Sango/Miroku are just so kawaii together!!  
  
-Heather Christi 


	6. Chapter Six: Explanations

Fateful Curse  
  
Disclaimer: I hope you get it so far. I do NOT own Inuyasha or its original characters in the anime or manga series. I'm just a pathetic soul who likes to write stories about them, and screw them over.  
  
::thoughts:: ENJOY!  
  
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LAST CHAPTER:  
He walked over to Sango and placed a hand on her cheek. ::She feels warmer. I'm glad:: Miroku smiled down at her with hints of love in his eyes and right at that moment, Sango chose to wake up from her sleep. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
::What is that presence I sense near me? It seems awfully familiar:: Sango felt something resting on her face. ::So soft. Just like that warmth:: Sango then seemed to regain her common sense and tried to put two and two together. ::Wait a moment. There was only one person who I was with this morning. There could only be one person with me. The others left me alone with him, so the person with me now has to be....::  
  
Sango opened her eyes and came face to face with the monk himself. His smiling face was only a few inches away from hers. She blushed at the close proximity. Her chocolate brown eyes were filled with dread and anger. Both of them had the same thought in mind.  
  
::This is NOT going to end out too good::  
  
CHAPTER SIX: Explanations  
  
"You hentai!!!" Sango yelled out loud enough for Miroku to wince at her tone. She woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Well actually, she woke up facing the wrong monk this evening. The furious raven-haired tajai raised her hand to slap the monk across the face but he anticipated her move, catching her wrist in his hand. That made her even more furious and aggravated. Her eyes were blazing with fury. She raised her other hand to slap him with all her might, but he caught her wrist in his other hand.  
  
"Let me go hentai!!" She yelled at him.  
  
"Now why should I do that? If I let you go, you will surely inflict harm on me," Miroku calmly said back to her.  
  
"Harm that you deserve!" Sango retorted. "What do you think you were doing standing over people while they sleep? Don't you have any decency?! Or am I giving you too much credit!" This was now the second time she caught him standing over her while she slept.  
  
"My dear Sango. I will let you go IF you do NOT abuse a poor innocent monk like me." His eyes were playful and that upset Sango to an even higher level than before.  
  
"Innocent?! You don't know the meaning of the word!!" She yelled at him. She tried to wrench her hands out of his grasp but he held onto her tighter. Sango stared up at him with rage but he seemed oblivious to her fury and remained calm. After a few moments, she lowered her head in defeat. "Fine hentai. I will not inflict harm on you- for now!" He released her hands and stepped back, still looking at her. She turned her gaze up to meet his. "What is it now Houshi?"  
  
Miroku blinked, coming out of his thoughts. "Huh? Oh... nothing." He mumbled. He turned around and walked over to the fire, his back facing her.  
  
Sango stared at Miroku's back, a little dumbfounded. She felt a breeze across her chest and looked down. She blushed and yelped in surprise, pulling the covers on the bed up to her neck. ::What am I doing in bed NAKED?!::  
  
Miroku walked over to the cabin door, taking hold on the doorknob. He remained with his back facing her but he spoke a little higher than a whisper so Sango could understand what he was saying. "You might want to get dressed. I'll be back in a few minutes." With that he walked out the door and closed it behind him before she could open her mouth to say anything to him.  
  
Sango blushed a darker shade of scarlet than before. She mentally cursed herself and tried rubbing her cheeks to get rid of her blushing. ::So he knew I was naked in the covers. How did I get this way anyway? All I remember is being at camp and hitting my head and then going unconscious:: Sango touched the cut on her forehead and winced. :: At least it isn't deep. Oh well. Better get dressed before that hentai comes back. Weird though. He normally would have volunteered to help or at least watch me change. I wonder what's going on with him::  
  
Sango stepped out of bed, still clutching the blankets to her body. She picked up her clothes on the chair next to the bed and changed quickly into her demon slaying outfit. After she was finished, Sango sat on the edge on the bed looking around the one room cabin. ::How did I get here anyway? Ok let's see. I woke up in bed naked with Houshi-sama standing over me:: She blushed at the thought.  
  
"Oh! Stop thinking about it!" She scolded herself aloud. ::But how did I get that way? I didn't undress myself but then how...:: Sango blushed an unusual shade of red out of embarrassment but also anger. "He undressed me!!"  
  
The doorknob turned and Miroku chose the wrong moment to walk into the cabin. He saw angered Sango sitting upright on the wrinkled untidy bed clutching hold on the blankets beside her tightly. Her knuckles were turning white under the pressure of her hold. "Are you alright Sango?"  
  
"Explain yourself Houshi." She turned her head to face Miroku with a deadly glare that even Inuyasha would cower to.  
  
"What do you mean?" Miroku didn't notice Sango's glare or pretended not to.  
  
"You know exactly what I mean Houshi." She stared at him for a while before she turned her gaze to her lap, which she found extremely fascinating right now. "Why did I wake up...." Sango mumbled the last part but Miroku understood what she meant. If she looked up, she would have noticed a healthy light shade of red cross Miroku's face.  
  
He was embarrassed. Miroku knew she was going to ask it sooner or later but he would have preferred if she waited till later. ::What am I suppose to say?:: He covered up his embarrassment and walked over to Sango. He stood in front of her but she didn't looked up to meet his gaze. "Sango, you blacked out back at camp when you fell. You hit your head on a sharp rock. These two women came out of nowhere and started fighting. I had to get us out of there but it started raining heavy." He informed her. "Umm... you started to shiver and I found this cabin." Miroku coughed lightly and continued. "I had to undress you and provide warmth for you so you wouldn't freeze." He whispered.  
  
Sango stared down at her lap, digesting what he just told her. ::He saved me?:: Miroku lifted her chin up to face him. "You got a nasty cut on your forehead," He said quietly. "We better get back to camp and clean your wound." Sango stood up and looked up Miroku who seemed confused. Sango leaned forward and placing her arms around his neck, laying her head on his chest. ::He's so warm:: "Thank you for saving me... Miroku."  
  
Miroku was overjoyed that she was thanking him personally by saying his name for once, but he winced when her elbow connected with the wound on his left shoulder. It still hadn't been cleaned and it kept reopening under any slight pressure. Sango's hug opened his wound up and he could feel the blood seeping through his robes. Sango didn't feel Miroku return the hug, but she instead felt something wet on her arm. She released Miroku and looked down at her arm and then to his shoulder.  
  
"You're bleeding! How did this happen?"  
  
"It's nothing Sango. Don't worry about it."  
  
"This is not nothing. We have to get to camp and clean this fast! We don't want you to get infected. You need to worry about yourself once in a while."  
  
Miroku was about to open his mouth and reply, but the sound of something knocking on wood stopped him. He didn't need to go over to the door and open it because the something knocking on the door decided to invite itself in.  
  
Standing a few feet away was the blue haired woman from earlier. She acknowledged the two and nodded to them, her silver eyes glowing light blue. "I knew you would be here."  
  
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I know that was a very short chapter but I just wanted to get through the part where Sango woke up and now I left it off as a cliffhanger. I'll make it up in the next chapter. What do you think that woman wants with them? What's she going to do with them? Find out next time! ^_^ Please review! Sorry about the typos!  
  
-Heather Christi 


	7. Chapter Seven: Long Conversation

Fateful Curse by Heather Christi  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Inuyasha but I do own my own characters I make up and I OWN SESSY (only in my dreams and thoughts). DON'T SUE! Go somewhere else lawyers! SICK THEM OFF QUACKERS! ::sends big yellow duck to quack at the evil lawyers:: HEHE ^_^  
  
Sorry readers and fan of this story. I've been having a writer's block, yes. Plus I've been working on the sequel to Angel Eyes. I'm already on the fourth chapter for that. This story will probably reach around 15 chapters if I can finish it off. I can't finish stories that well.  
  
::thoughts:: ENJOY!  
  
Chapter Seven- Long Conversations  
  
"I knew you'd be here," Otaki-seisui repeated again, softer this time. Her smoky-gray silver eyes flickered with the specks of silver but the glowing faded into a tiny sparkle in her eyes.  
  
Miroku drew Sango close to him and held her tightly. He was sneering at the blue-haired woman while Sango stared at her in awe. She was amazed at this woman's goddess like beauty. Sango felt like she could trust this woman because her silver eyes held such warmth and honesty Sango couldn't help but think of her as her friend. Before Sango could make a reply or comment to the goddess in front, Miroku spoke up.  
  
"What do you want?" he sneered. Sango was surprised by his rudeness. Usually he wasn't this way to such a beautiful woman. ::Maybe she didn't want to bear his child:: That thought caused anger to flow through her so she pushed Miroku away from her.  
  
"Miroku! Don't be so rude to her!" Sango defended the sky blue-haired beauty. She turned away from the shocked Miroku and faced the unknown woman. "Who are you? How did you know we'd be here?"  
  
The woman stepped forward causing her hair to flow out behind her and her dark blue falcon earrings to swing. She stopped when she was standing about three feet away from Sango. She bowed down slightly and then came up looking straight into Sango's chocolate brown eyes with her silver ones. "Excuse me for intruding in this 'moment' of yours but my name is Otaki-seisui but call me Otaki."  
  
::Cascade Pure Water? Weird:: Sango thought. Before she continued her thoughts she was interrupted by the strange woman.  
  
"I'm here because I need your help."  
  
Miroku, who regained his courage and composure, decided to speak up but not to gently either. He walked over to Sango and embraced her as he spoke these words. "Why would we want to help you?" he hissed at 'Otaki'. Sango looked up at him in disbelief, her eyes scolding him like a little puppy that was housebroken.  
  
"Please, I'm in dire need of assistance. I also know Miroku that you and Sango are in trouble with my sister, Okibi-shashu."  
  
Sango was surprised by that comment and how she automatically knew their names. "How'd you know our names?"  
  
Otaki shifted her gaze from Miroku to Sango and she replied. "My little secret." She winked at her which caused Sango to blush for some unknown reason. Otaki turned back to Miroku with feisty silver eyes. "Let me explain to you the whole story. You might want to sit down for this." Otaki grabbed the wooden chair next to the bed and sat near the warm fire. The fire glow illuminated her hair and made her glow. Her silver eyes flickered dark and sky blue seeming to glow. Miroku led Sango over to the bed and they sat down. He protectively kept the uninjured arm around her shoulders. They both paid attention to the mysterious woman who had a tale to tell. Miroku listened reluctantly while Sango was very much interested in the woman's pleas and tale.  
  
"My name as you already know is Otaki-seisui and it means 'cascade pure water'. I come from a family of pure falcon demons along with my half- sister Okibi-shashu, which means 'blazing fire archer'. We travel in the forests and we are considered the highest of our demons. I really have no idea how to explain this but my half-sister hates my guts really." Sango interrupted her.  
  
"Why does she hate you? You seem so nice." Otaki just stared at her dumbly but then smiled warmly at her.  
  
"Thanks but nothing's always what it seems. Anyway, my half-sister and I both have different mothers. My mother's name was Tentou-awai meaning 'heaven light'. My half-sister's mothers name was Kasai-zankou meaning 'fire after-glow'. Both of them are in fact dead." Otaki got a blank look in her eyes like she wasn't even there, almost like she was zoning out, remembering some painful memories of hers.  
  
"My half-sister hates me because she believed my mother had tried to kill her own birth mother. She became revengeful and had the lust for spilled blood. Okibi lusts to kill and she wants to kill me. Slaughter me. Her own half-sister." Otaki clenched her hands into fists and her eyes seemed to flicker with dark blue. They seemed to glow blue.  
  
"Okibi was banished from my home and the forest by my mother, Tentou-awai because she had tried to kill my mother and me out of revenge. My mother, sadly, passed away because she couldn't take what Okibi had done to her." Otaki lowered her head for a moment.  
  
After a minute or so, she lifted her head and her eyes had a river of tears running down her flawless face. Her eyes were glowing blue and her features possessed a sad smile. "My half-sister now searches for the Shikon no Tama for revenge on me and so she can gain more power. She'll stop at nothing to find it and now she has. You have the jewel, don't you?" Miroku spoke up.  
  
"We don't have the jewel right now at this moment. But I'm sorry for your loss." Miroku's voice had the tone of pity and sadness. Sango remembered that Miroku had lost his father by the curse in his right hand he never asked for. Sango felt like crying for both of their losses. This then made her think of her brother, Kohaku, who was under Naraku's control. She felt unshed tears sting the back of her eyes but she willed them away. Miroku felt her discomfort and depression so he squeezed her shoulders giving some reassurance. Sango looked up into the purple eyes of the cursed monk. She smiled softly and sadly and he smiled back. The moment was ruined by Otaki's tale.  
  
"As it follows," both Miroku and Sango turned to face Otaki with blushing faces. "I have a birthright. This whip," Otaki pulled out long whip with a dark blue falcon feather attached to the handle grip. "This whip is called Whip of Water. My half-sister has a set of arrows and a bow called Bow of Fire. Both of us are equal so I need your strength to help defeat my blood crazy half-sister. She will kill anyone who gets in her way, including the lives of the innocent. I must prevent this. My sister never used to be this way with her heart tainted with remorse and revenge. She used to be kind and caring and full of life. But now she's so remote and her fire has died ever since she lost her mother, Kasai-zankou. This all happened, these deaths, after we saw this strange demon wearing a white baboon pelt. I will forever think he has something to do with all this."  
  
Miroku and Sango both tensed when she mentioned the demon wearing the white baboon pelt. Both of them hissed out the name of the horrible demon that had trashed their lives and made them go through hell. "NARAKU!" Otaki looked at them in shock. ::So they know.:: Miroku spoke up once again.  
  
"How long has it been since you have seen this demon?"  
  
"A couple months ago in a forest a week walk on foot away from here. It's been a long while so I doubt he's even there anymore. Personally, he seemed more like a coward than a fierce demon," Otaki replied.  
  
Sango spoke up next in a strong stern voice. "We'll help you. We have some things to deal with that coward. He shall not escape!" her eyes were blazing with the thought of her brother Kohaku in the hands of that sinister coward of a demon. "Scum like him deserve to die." Otaki spoke once again.  
  
"First let's handle my half-sister. She shall be her soon. Okibi isn't one to just give up, especially when it has to do with her mother. Are you ready to fight my sister? This battle will be anything but easy."  
  
Miroku remembered his shoulder and Otaki seemed to notice for she got up off of the wooden chair and made her way over to stand in front of his wound. She placed her right hand over the wound lightly and began to chant with her silver eyes shut. Her hair began to glow sky blue and float up into the hair looking like a waterfall.  
  
"Zen'yu. zen'yu. zen'yu. zen'yu. zen'yu..." Miroku felt a tingling in his shoulder and suddenly there was no pain. She stopped and uncovered the wound. There was no sign of the wound but his robes was still torn and damp. Sango stared in awe and amazement.  
  
"How'd you do that?" Sango breathed out while Miroku was still in shock. Otaki looked at her as her light sky blue hair gracefully floated down her back.  
  
"My little secret," she winked again.  
  
BOOM!  
A loud boom sounded from outside of the wooden cabin they were inside. Sango looked around cautiously. "What the hell was that?" Otaki had a bored and sad look on her face.  
  
"That would be my half-sister, Okibi. She got here faster than I thought she would. Time to go out and face now. Are you ready?" Both Sango and Miroku exchanged glances before they turned back to her and nodded in agreement. Sango moved away from Miroku and went to pick up her boomerang next to the fire. Miroku picked up his staff and readied his fighting wards. Otaki pulled out her Whip of Water and her eyes turned fierce and determined.  
  
They turned towards the door and stepped out into the darkened world of starry nights. This was going to be one of the toughest fights of their lives.  
  
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I built a plot! I built a plot! I built a plot! ::dances around::  
  
By the way, Zen'yu means 'complete healing'. Sorry about not updating earlier. To make it up for all you fans and readers, I'll be posting a chapter the day after tomorrow or the day after that. But I need some suggestions for this fighting scene. Anyone have questions about my characters or anything just ask and I'll reply.  
  
-Heather Christi (=^_^=) 


	8. Chapter Eight: Playing in the Woods

Fateful Curse by Heather Christi  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Inuyasha but I do own my own characters I make up and I OWN MY SESSY (in my dreams and thoughts). DON'T SUE! I still have my handy duck Quackers here! ::big yellow duck quacks in the background::  
  
Here is the 8th chapter! Whoohoo! This is the first story I started and probably the first one I will finish! This is also coming to an end sadly in about 3 or 5 something chapters. Soon, very soon. I love you all reviewers and readers!  
  
::thoughts:: ENJOY!  
  
Chapter Eight: Playing in the Woods  
  
They turned towards the wooden door of the cabin and stepped out into the darkened world of starry nights. This was going to be one of the toughest and most brutal fights of their lives.  
  
Miroku stared out into the forest, letting his adjust to the dark and damp unfamiliar place. He clutched his staff harder and readied his fighting demon wards to protect him in this battle. He made sure to keep his left hand near his cursed right hand just in case it was needed for this difficult battle. Luckily his shoulder had been healed magically by the new woman who had seemed to join their party so now he could move better than before this time.  
  
Sango had her trusty boomerang slung over her right shoulder and was ready to aim and throw it at the enemy at any time during this match between all four of them. Her sword had been sharpened a few days ago and it was ready for use. Usually she had Kilala to back her up and assist her in her need of help during a battle but this time she was accompanied by the mysterious wholesome woman named Otaki-seisui and her companion the perverted, but loyal, priest Miroku.  
  
Otaki was determined to be the victor in this match. She had out her birthright Whip of Water and she had a couple of daggers here and there on the inside of her silver dragon-skin vest. Otaki was also loaded with lots of tricks up her sleeves which she was popularly known for. She possessed her magic and her gift to call to the Gods for help and luck. Her wavy sky blue hair flew out behind her and teased the wind with its silky thick strands. Her smoky gray-silver eyes glowed and her pure solid silver choker shined with the moonlight's gleam. The specks of the different shades of blue flickered in her eyes and she had an even more mysterious aura than before.  
  
Before any of their eyes could fully adjust to the change of light coming from the wooden cabin and into the darkness, a cold, strong, and emotionless voice spoke loud seeming to come from all different directions around them, disguising where the owner of the voice truly was in the damp forest.  
  
"So you have join them, have you? You don't think yourself strong enough to defeat me alone, do you? You don't have enough guts to face me by yourself like my mother had faced yours. You can't take my strength."  
  
Miroku and Sango looked around cluelessly for any signs of the woman speaking to them all around. Otaki just stared up into the trees ahead, glaring dangerously. Her smoky eyes glowed blue with anger and her hand clutching the Whip of Water tightened and her left hand curled into a fist at her side. Her knuckles were turning white under the pressure of the strain Otaki put on them.  
  
"Okibi!!" Otaki yelled out. "I can take anything you throw at me! But you've got it all wrong! My mother didn't go after yours! Yours attacked my mother for the position of the head of our tribe!!"  
  
"SILENCE!! I will not tolerate your insolence Otaki!!" The woman's voice filled with such fury surrounded them very loudly. "You speak nothing but lies of your mother's deception! I know the truth and you cannot convince me otherwise of what I know!!" Okibi's harsh voice echoed and bounced off all the rough surfaces in the damp forest.  
  
An arrow whizzed down with lightning speed from the sky, barely missing Otaki's right arm that was holding onto her birthright whip. The arrow stuck to the forest's floor and it was flaming at Otaki's small feet. She acted as if nothing had happened to her at all. Both Miroku and Sango stared at the burning arrow stuck into the ground forcefully. They looked up; expecting to see an angry figure hovering over them but their eyes only met the darkness of the sky and the tall pine trees of the forest.  
  
"Come and find me Otaki and you shall get your precious battle!! I will be waiting impatiently, not for long," spat the cold-hearted woman from somewhere around them.  
  
"Well, we better find her quickly before she decides to attack us again," Sango stated after a moment of silence and thought, glancing back and forth from Miroku to Otaki. They both nodded at her and they quietly headed their separate ways to find the waiting woman.  
  
Miroku headed in the left direction while Sango headed right and Otaki decided to head downwind behind the cabin, deeper into the forest. He walked a couple yards and he caught the scent of burning pine in his nostrils. The monk started running towards the scent and as he ran, the scent grew stronger and smoke clogged up into his throat, making him want to gag. He came across a clearing in the middle of the forest and looked around.  
  
Miroku could barely make out anything with the heavy smoke blocking his sight but he could see the outlines of the tall grass he stood in and a small outline of a pond off to the right. He coughed up some smoke stuck in his lungs and heaved it out of his system. The monk heard something off to his left and quickly turned to face that direction, hoping not to meet the woman from earlier this morning. He clutched his staff tighter and swept the air in front the direction he was facing a few times just to check for an enemy. ::Nothing there::  
  
The smoke suddenly cleared from the area he was standing in. He looked around curiously. He mustn't have known that curiosity killed the cat; monk in this case. Something hot and sharp pierced the skin on his right arm near his cursed hand. Miroku called out in pain and dropped his staff to clutch hold of his wound in his lower arm. It felt like it out burning in his wound. He stared down and examined his damages. It was burnt and it looked like it might scar. It wasn't bleeding heavy and it didn't hurt much except for the burning. The monk glared out into the field and in front standing up from the ground was a flaming golden war arrow with a fairly large red falcon feather attached.  
  
A husky laugh sounded around him, seeming to invade his personal space. The sound sent chills up his spine and the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. His palm started to sweat and he readied his left hand to bring out the demon wards underneath his robes if he needed to. He gently reached down to the ground to pick up his staff but something swooped past him and retracted his hand back in surprise. He stared around for a moment as the laughing ceased to nothing and all he heard was the faint sound of the blowing wind. It was only teasing him!  
  
Miroku searched around with his eyes to catch a glimpse of anything out of the ordinary. He only spotted a red bird sitting on a branch of the pine tree in front of him. It stared back into his violet eyes with its yellow orbs before it turned away and flew off. He quickly picked up his staff off the ground and left to find Sango and Otaki. Maybe they were having more luck than he was.  
  
The demon huntress ended up in a field too but it wasn't filled with a pond and tall grass. Her field was nothing but dirt and dead pine tree stumps. She took a step forward and braced herself for anything. She held her boomerang with her right hand behind her back and started walking forward timidly and cautiously. Sango watched her footing and noticed little markings on the ground. She bent lower and read the tiny markings which appeared to be Japanese lettering.  
  
"Ki kirikabu raibu. Ukiyo firu ru-tsu. Ryou itazuki." ::What does that mean? What about tree stumps? Wait a minute. Is this ancient magic Miroku was telling me about a few days ago. I guess I should have paid attention::  
  
Too deep in her thoughts, Sango never noticed the snap of twigs and the dust of the rusty dirt that flew by her. She never noticed the glowing of the tree stumps around her. All she noticed was the lettering on the grounds. That is until she felt something hard and rough cut into her ankle and hold her upside down in the air.  
  
"Whoa!" She called out feebly. She managed to drop her boomerang that would have been quite helpful at the moment. Sango took her sharpen sword out of its sheath and cut the object hanging her in the air. She dropped not too lightly onto the hard dirt. Sango recovered quickly and stood up of the ground. The demon huntress gasped and stared amazed at the 'thing' that had held her upside down.  
  
It was one of the rotten mossy tree stumps on the sides of her. It was glowing bright green like it had been enchanted. Carved on the front of the stump looked somewhat like a wooden face, complete with a nose and mouth. Its roots were covered with the underground dirt from below but they were now removed out of the ground and free to roam around as it pleased. ::What in Kami-sama's name is that?!::  
  
Without another thought, the stump swung at her feet planning to knock her over but Sango jumped up and avoided the attack easily. She brought her sharpened sword down on the stump hard, cutting into the wood and leaving a very noticeable dent. Sango jumped back away from the stump and watched as the stump let out a screeching howl of pain. The demon huntress dropped her battle sword and held her hands tightly to her ears, trying to drown out the horrible mirror-shattering noise.  
  
The noise stopped and Sango opened her eyes to peer at the lightly glowing tree stump in front of her. The tree stump caught on fire and burned to nothing but ashes. The demon huntress stared astonishingly at the ashes and she felt something circle around her. The 'something' landed on another mossy tree stomp near to her right. It was a red bird, a falcon more precisely. The large red falcon flapped its wings out and called out to the sky. Sango just stared and watched what it would do next. The falcon turned from the sky to meet Sango's gaze and it turned its head at her look. It seemed to look amused by Sango and then it seemed to smirk at her before it jumped into the air. It flapped its wings vigorously to get some air and took off into the damp forest from where it had come.  
  
The demon huntress bent down to grab her sword and headed straight back to the forest. She kicked the ashes in front, sending them into the wind to be carried off to the unknown. ::I better head back and see if Miroku is having any trouble. I hope he's not in danger:: With that, she broke into a run. Her only company was the worried thoughts of her companion rummaging through her head.  
  
The mysterious blue-haired woman named Otaki was carefully watched her fluid steps and looking everywhere, left, right, up, down, behind, for any signs of her former tribe companion. She held onto her whip so tight that her knuckles were hurting under the strain of her pressure. As she walked deeper into the forest, it got darker and damper. The ground was drenched with the rain water from this morning and Otaki could hear the squish as her feet connected with the soft ground.  
  
As she took another step, her face got caught in a newly made spider web. She shook away the spider web in annoyance and wiped the remaining sticky substance on her torn long sleeve. She took another step without her usual caution and she fell into a little hole made by some animal or demon. Otaki fell forward onto her face as her foot got caught. She could feel the cold rain water soaking into her clothes.  
  
"Damn this place! I hate my half-sister! I hope she rots in hell where she belongs!"  
  
"Care to repeat that Otaki," replied a husky voice. Otaki looked up into the scratchy bushes a couple dozen feet in front of her and saw a thin figure emerging. I'll give you one guess who it is.  
  
"So you have found me Otaki. I congratulate you on finding me but you seem to have found me too soon," Okibi spoke. Otaki removed herself from the ground and picked up her Whip of Water that had fallen to the ground when she tripped. She ignored any of the twigs or dirt that was sticking to her clothing or her hair. "This shall be the last time you ever set foot in this forest or in this world for that matter. Prepare to die!!"  
  
Okibi pulled out a long war sword and ran towards Otaki, ready to rid the life from her body.  
  
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I have finished the chapter I have promised! The real battle scene is up next! Prepare for some ass getting kicked! Who do you think will be the victor? Will Sango and Miroku help Otaki out or will they both die in the battle along with Otaki?  
  
I will have the chapter out in about two weeks or less! I just want some reviews! Thanks for everyone who has stuck with this story! I LOVE YOU ALL REVIEWERS!!! By the way, 'Ki kirikabu raibu. Ukiyo firu ru-tsu. Ryou kushin' means 'Tree stump live. Life fill roots. Endure pain'.  
  
-Heather Christi (=^_^=) 


	9. Chapter Nine: Let's Rumble

Fateful Curse by Heather Christi  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Inuyasha but I do OWN my OWN characters I made! I ALSO OWN SESSY (in my dreams and thoughts). DON'T SUE! I'll give you a penny for *looks at Sessy* if you don't sue!  
  
::thoughts:: (if any in this chapter)  
  
Chapter Nine: Let's Rumble  
  
Okibi pulled out a long war sword and ran towards Otaki, ready to rid the life from her body. Otaki quickly pulled up her whip with both her hands and held it in front of her face, blocking the blow to her head. They pushed against each other's weapons and stared into each other's eyes, daring the other to look away and be defeated. Neither backed down from the test of strength and the look of death.  
  
Okibi pulled away and jumped back away from the blue-haired beauty. The angered redhead held her long sword closer to her right side with both hands and charged her half-sister with fury and a war cry. Otaki pulled out her own sword just in time before the other made connect with any of her flesh. Okibi leaned forward, adding for pressure and her half- sister did the same. It was another test of strength and both were equally matched but Okibi couldn't stand being equal with her.  
  
Okibi used her stronger right hand to hold the sword and quickly pulled out a dagger to pierce Otaki's flesh. Otaki realized this move and used her sword to push forward harder with more strength, forcing Okibi off balance and making her drop the dagger onto the soft forest ground. Okibi stumbled but regained her balance just in time to block Otaki's sword attack. They pushed into each other and then jumped back.  
  
Okibi was breathing heavy and the same went for Otaki. Both had the beginnings of sweat beading on their foreheads. They held their swords in front of them and glared fiercely at each other. Otaki's eyes held pity for her sister and what happened to make her go so crazy and attack her. Okibi glared hatefully and scowled at the look of pity the blue-haired half- sister of hers gave her.  
  
"Take your pity somewhere else Otaki! I don't want it! I only want you dead!!" She yelled to Otaki before running with lightning speed towards her in an attempt to strike her to the ground. Her anger was pumped and she wanted to get what she wanted more than anything: Otaki's blood on her long war sword and her limp body lying dead on the forest floor. Although in life, you don't always get what you want.  
  
Otaki blocked the attack with her own sword and pushed Okibi back. She had her chance to cast a spell at the moment and she was going to take this chance. "Rikimu Okibi!" The red haired woman felt the power and strength diminish from her body but she thankfully knew a counter spell to give her strength back. Unfortunately she didn't have enough time before Otaki decided to attack her.  
  
The blue-haired woman flew forward and diagonally slashed at Okibi but the angered woman dodged the attack barely. It cut the front of her clothing on her stomach and lightly scrapped her against her sensitive skin.  
  
"Tsuyomaru!" Okibi felt her limbs grow stronger and her sword grew lighter. "You shall pay for that Otaki!" She ran forward but before she got to the blue-haired woman, she disappeared. Otaki looked around and tried to sense her half-sister's energy. When she did, she was *almost* too late! Okibi appeared behind her blue-haired half-sister attacking from behind. Her sharp war sword connected with the skin on Otaki's arm, piercing her flesh and cutting lightly. Otaki gasped as she felt the stingy pain on her upper arm.  
  
"Gotcha," Okibi hissed out into Otaki's ear before she disappeared again.  
  
The blue-haired woman was getting aggravated very quickly. Okibi was just teasing her, toying with her, messing with her head! It was annoying and it was getting on Otaki's nerves but that was probably why Okibi was doing this. It was working but she wouldn't *ever* admit it to herself or to Okibi.  
  
Change of wind! Otaki moved as fast as her legs would carry her. She started running through the damp green forest. Her half-sister was starting up one of her best attacks: Toukai Nami Fukiareru! (Destruction Wave) Otaki moved fast and she heard the wind blow faster and faster as she ran deeper into the lush dark forest. ::This won't end well::  
  
Wind grew faster and suddenly all the noise in the forest just stopped. No swaying of the trees. No splash of Otaki's feet on the wet forest floor. No animals or demons making any noise. There was no sound made from the forest. All Otaki heard was the beating of her heart as it beat harder and faster in her chest. ::This is it::  
  
There was a loud crash and Otaki was picked off her own feet and hurled into the air. She tried to balance herself in the air with the use of her magic but that did no help. The blue-haired woman saw the tree in front of her and she cursed violently in her mind. Her head crashed right into the tree and she fell down to the ground in a helpless bundle. Her vision became blurrier and she tried to keep herself focused on staying conscious but no avail. She passed out thinking only one thing: damn it all.  
  
Okibi stood over her half-sister's body, staring down with a smirk plastered to her face. She wanted revenge but she didn't think it would be so easy. Her half-sister and she were always quite matched at strength in their own special powers. Okibi thought her half-sister wouldn't give up so easily and after such a weak attack of her Toukai Nami Fukiareru too. It was pitiful. ::Everything has to end sooner or later. I'm glad I got rid of her sooner::  
  
"Goodbye half-sister," Okibi raised her sword in the air, reading to bring it down to rid Otaki of this world. "It was fun while it lasted and I hope your mother and you burn in hell for everything you have done." Okibi slashed down with her long war-sword and-  
  
CLING!  
Something knocked her sword out of her hand, sending it a few feet behind her. Okibi turned and looked at the interrupter of her slaughtering. A dozen feet away stood a raven-haired woman catching a boomerang looking weapon in her hand and swinging it over her shoulder expertly.  
  
"Not if I can help it," spoke the raven-haired demon exterminator. Okibi glared at her and vanished only to reappear with her sword in hand standing in front of the slayer. Okibi was taller and she used her height to intimidate her but no use. The demon exterminator stood tall and glared right back. Okibi raised her sword and sliced forward but something blocked her from connecting with skin. It was another sword! Okibi jumped back and stared at the slayer in front of her, holding onto the shiny weapon. Okibi smirked at her with amusement, putting her sharp war sword into its sheath.  
  
"And what makes you think that you, demon exterminator, can harm me?" Sango glared at the red-haired beauty that was an almost replica of the blue- haired woman she had met earlier. She never knew two people could look so much alike. But right now she was more worried about her life! Sango ran forward, throwing her boomerang at the red-haired woman right before she caught more speed and tried to sink her sword into the unwelcomed woman's flesh.  
  
Okibi dodged both attacks gracefully and easily. She brought her hand around and sunk her elbow in Sango's back as she ran past her. Sango fell to the ground and rolled over onto her back to see Okibi pull out her sword. She brought down her war sword intending to kill Sango but the demon huntress lifted her own sword and blocked the attack before it ended her life. Okibi pushed her weight onto the sword and brought it down harder onto Sango's. Sango tried to hold her sword up but she was spared as an unknown 'thing' knocked the red-haired woman off of her.  
  
"I can't leave you alone for one minute and you're attacked by a demon," the perverted priest spoke his thoughts aloud. He reached out his hand to pull Sango to her feet. She took it gratefully and used his help to get off the squishy soft forest floor.  
  
They jumped apart as a sword flew through the middle of their bodies, separating them from each other. The sword stuck into the tree and remained fastened to the tree. They looked at the enemy and she was fuming with hatred and bubbling with anger and disgust.  
  
"Enough is enough. I'll see you all later and I'll be back to get rid of that pitiful half-sister of mine," spoke the red-haired demon. She disappeared along with her long war sword and she was gone.  
  
Miroku and Sango stared cluelessly at the place where the beautiful demon was standing before she vanished from their sight. They glanced at each other and both looked over to where the blue-haired demon was lying on the ground and the base of the tree. They ran over and tried to shake the woman awake and back to consciousness. Nothing worked.  
  
"Let's get her back to the cabin so we can all rest," Miroku stated. Sango nodded in approval and the monk heaved Otaki up into his arms as if she weighed nothing. They walked until they came to familiar ground and headed on their way back to the cabin where warmth and sleep awaited them. Was anything else?  
  
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My chapters are getting shorter but I wrote this one in like two hours! That's three chapters in three days! Who0o0oh0o0o! I would really like some reviews! And just to give you an idea of the next chapter I'll tell you something: IT'S MIROKU AND SANGO FLUFF! Get ready!  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!  
  
-Heather Christi (=^_^=) 


	10. Chapter Ten: Remember the Good Times

Fateful Curse by Heather Christi  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the original Inuyasha characters but I do own my own characters which I made up by myself! I'm a smartie! I OWN SESSY! (the plushie anyway) You might call this a story contributing with my obsession of the characters on the anime show!  
  
I'M IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS IN CHAPTER NUMBERS! ALRIGHT! Are you readers ready for some fluff? Now we will get the romance going on. I haven't had much yet, have I? This will hopefully make up for it! I would love to thank all my reviewers and the other people who read and don't review (you have to review!!!!!!) but this story is sadly coming to an end. Well now on with the story and the Sango/Miroku action! ^_^ *wink wink nudge nudge*  
  
::thoughts:: ENJOY!  
  
Chapter Ten: Remember the Good Times  
  
Mostly Sango's Point of View  
  
They entered the familiar wooden cabin and all three of them were freezing because of the sudden cold that had appeared this early in August. It looked like it was about to sprinkle outside with all those dark and heavy rain clouds towering overhead in the dark sky.  
  
The demon huntress shut the cabin door while the monk accompanying her lowered the blue-haired demon onto the bed they had shared earlier this morning. Who would have known they would have gotten into this mess when just a few days ago they were all laughing around a campfire eating 'instant ramen'. It was crazy how life seemed worked out for them.  
  
Kagome had been taken by force into the Bone-Eater's Well from her time by a centipede demon which Inuyasha had killed after being released from his imprisonment on the Sacred Tree by Kagome. Kagome had almost been killed my Inuyasha multiple times and she still trusted him and traveled with him to complete the Shikon no Tama that she promised to give him whole.  
  
Inuyasha had been pinned to the Sacred tree by his first love, Kikyo, who thought he had betrayed her by killing her and tricking her to give him the jewel to become a youkai. He's still hunted by Naraku, who pretended to be Inuyasha because his other half, Onigumo, was in love with the priestess, Kikyo. He seeks revenge for his imprisonment and Kikyo's bloody death.  
  
Shippo had lost both of his youkai parents to the Thunder Brothers (?). He's still young and naïve but joins up with Kagome and soon sees her as his surrogate mother. He has to live with his parents' death and Inuyasha's constant teasing and attitude towards him.  
  
Sango had lost all her family and her village to Naraku right in front of her own two eyes when the demon took control of Kohaku's body and made him kill them all in a demon slaying. Kohaku and Sango were supposed to be killed in that battle, but Sango had survived and Kohaku was barely hanging on. His memories had been lost and he's still being controlled by Naraku. If the jewel shard from his back which holds his life is taken out, Kohaku will die and Sango will lose him forever.  
  
Miroku is suffering from a void on his right hand and his family will forever be cursed until the devious Naraku is killed. He watched his own father die in front of him because of this curse. The void grows bigger everyday and he doesn't know when his life will be taken into his own hand and curse.  
  
The young priest turned around to face the demon slayer after tucking the blankets underneath the unconscious demon lying on the bed breathing shallowly to prevent the cold to wrap the demon into its grip. Miroku walked over to Sango and placed the warm cursed hand upon her cheek gently, staring into her eyes deeply. He stroked her cheek lightly with his thumbs and she almost closed her eyes in content. His touch almost made her forget everything.  
  
"Are you alright Sango? I was so worried about you when I saw her with her sword above you. I was. I was so scared for your life," Miroku whispered out. Sango placed her hand on top of Miroku's right hand that was on her cheek. She rubbed his hand with hers and she pressed her lips to his cursed area near the void.  
  
"I'm fine Miroku. I'm okay but I wouldn't be if it was not for you. Thank you for saving my life," Sango stared up at him with a light blush across her cheeks.  
  
"Sango, I would do anything for you. I couldn't just let you die. You have so much to live for," Miroku spoke passionately but with a gentle tone. He cared so much for Sango and he'd be damned if he let anything hurt his Sango. The demon huntress blushed at his words and couldn't believe this was coming from the perverted monk she knew. She shyly smiled up at him and kissed the palm of his hand.  
  
"You have so much to live for too and remember that," Sango said as she rubbed his cursed hand. "We'll get through this, together." With that, she leaned upwards quickly and gently brushed her lips against his. She stepped back away from Miroku and walked over the window to peer out into the forest with a healthy red blush spreading across her cheeks.  
  
::I can't believe I just did that. I just *kissed* Miroku! What is going on with me?! I should know better than that. I can't deal with Miroku right now. I have my brother to worry about and-:: Just thinking about her brother made fresh tears brim the corners of her almond-shaped eyes. Her thoughts continued to track back to when Kohaku had been controlled and forced to kill her father and the rest of the demon slayers. She felt warm, safe arms wrap around her and her backed up until her back was pressing into a firm and toned chest. Sango leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to will all the bad memories clear from her mind but they wouldn't leave.  
  
"Sango, it's okay. Don't hold back. It's not good to keep your feelings locked up for so long," whispered a gentle voice near her left ear. "Just let it out. I'm here for you." Sango turned in his safe arms and buried her face into his chest, letting her arms wrap tightly around his waist and his arms around hers. She clutched onto him and was determined to weep until her hearts content.  
  
Oh how she wanted to cry for so long! Everything with Kohaku and seeing him with Naraku and not being able to do anything to help her made her bury herself deep in despair. She wanted to see her brother happy and smiling again! She wanted her brother back with her, alive, happy, and well.  
  
Miroku whispered little encouragement words, letting her get all her stressful feelings out of her system that she had been holding back so who knows how long. He rubbed his hands up and down her back keeping away, providing any type of comfort he could give to his Sango. "It's okay Sango. Let it out. I'm here for you. I'm here and I will be, forever," he whispered.  
  
After a long time, Sango's sobs turned into little cries until she was breathing heavy and had light tears traveling down her cheeks like a tiny river. She clutched onto Miroku like he was her lifeline and she gave no impression of letting him go from her grasp. She felt a hand tilt her face upwards and she opened her puffy eyes to stare into Miroku's violet orbs full of despair and hope. A stray tear ran down her cheek and a gentle hand wiped it away.  
  
::She's so vulnerable right now but I want so much for this pain to leave her soul. She doesn't deserve all this pain. I want to protect her from this entire heart break but I don't know if I can. What if I just end up adding to it? I want her to be happy and I want her to be safe from all harm, whether emotional or physical. She's worth so much more than this. She deserves better than me but I want so much to kiss her troubles away::  
  
Lips touched lips timidly and lightly. Lips brushed and caressed, expressing emotions that both this two people had never felt before with anyone in their entire lives. Carefully, the monk leaned forward to deepen the chaste kiss, rewarding the demon huntress with light-headedness and stomach butterflies and cartwheels. Sango leaned forward for more of the kiss and more of the monk himself. Her hands held onto his hips tightly and his hands remained still on her lower back.  
  
Lightning flickered outside the window behind them and a light shower of rain began to fall just like the tormenting memories in their minds that began to slowly fade like they never existed to begin with. These memories were being replaced by something new and something much better than ever before.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I know, short again but wasn't that sweet of Miroku? He comforted her from all her pain and know she's being to slowly recover from everything. I think it's sweet and you reviewers got your little kiss from them! By the way, this is ending soon and I need some reviews! You won't get your next chapter until I get at least 3 or 5 reviews. Maybe I'll be lenient and say only 2 but REVIEW! PLEASE! *desperate*  
  
-Heather Christi (=^_^=) 


	11. Chapter Eleven: Faces Filled with Despai...

Fateful Curse by Heather Christi  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the original Inuyasha characters but I do own my own characters which I made up by myself! I'm a smartie! I OWN SESSY! (the plushie anyway) You might call this a story contributing with my obsession of the characters on the anime show! I really am obsessed. (=^_^=) At least I can admit it. First step is to admit your problems. But Sessy's not a problem or a nuisance. He's my love *and* only my love. No one disagree with it or they will have to suffer extreme consequences. I guess now that I'm done with my ranting you can't call this a disclaimer; it is more like a threat and warning to other Sesshomaru lovers. But guess what you other lovers? HE'S MINE! *takes out rubber duckie* I WILL THROW THIS AT YOU!  
  
Sorry for not updating sooner. I have been neglecting and I'm terribly sorry! VERY SORRY! I apologize.  
  
::thoughts:: ENJOY!  
  
Chapter Eleven: Faces Filled With Despair  
  
Crystal-like raindrops dripped down onto the roof with light thumps. You could hear the methodical rhythm of the light trickle of rain. The sprinkling rain compared to music easily. Thunder was vociferous drums like the luminous lightning happened to be the instructing conductor, setting off the thunder causing it to rumble out in angry notions on cue from the lightning.  
  
The raven-haired demon huntress stirred in her restless sleep. Her mind was full of emotional and appalling thoughts concerning her beloved houshi, who at the moment had his graceful arms wrapped around her waist in comforting, yet possessive, show of affection. His left hand was covered by his cursed right hand's palm. Even though the raven-haired beauty was asleep, the prayer beads safely holding the priest's cursed hand rubbed against the clothing on her stomach and she could feel the beads, along with the constant reminder of why they are put there. That constant reminder was what clouded her dreams and thoughts.  
  
The perverted, yet kind-hearted, monk had been awake for hours. Sleep wasn't coming easy for him. Tonight it seemed like a pointless and impossible deed. He felt the young woman in his arms wiggle around to find a more comfortable position, or maybe she was having a nightmare. So much had happened over the past couple of days and it had worried them both to the point of exhaustion. Although the monk was very drowsy and light-headed from the lack of sleep, nothing, not even his true love in his warm protective arms, could ease his chaotic mind into the dark world of his troublesome dreams.  
  
The blue-haired goddess-like demon was lying wounded in the bed, wrapped tightly in blankets. The priest and the demon huntress were sitting in an uncomfortable, but useful, wooden chair in front of the low fire. Miroku was holding Sango in his lap while she slept. Miroku envied her for her ability to sleep peacefully, after everything. Or so he thought.  
  
{---[::Sango's Dream::]---}  
  
Surrounded by a heavy fog, I wandered through an unknown place, clueless of everything. I couldn't remember anything. I was unaware of absolutely everything that happened to me. I don't even know who I am! Why can't I remember?  
  
I started to run in a panic. WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER? The fog cleared and I stopped running. The fog turned into light mist that surrounded and covered my legs so I couldn't see below my waist. I took hesitant steps forward and I was breathing heavy and deeply. I tried to control my rapid breaths but it was no use. WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER?  
  
Then it all hit me and came back in flashes. There I was with Kohaku, my little brother, helping him train to become a demon slayer. There I was with Kohaku standing and watching him kill my father. I watched him be shot with at least a dozen arrows and I covered him with my own body. There I was with the half dog-demon Inuyasha trying to kill him to avenge Kohaku's death. There I was in the hot springs with Kagome, talking about the scar that will remain forever on my back. There I was with Miroku, him jumping around with ramen noodles covered all over him. There I was with Kohaku lying underneath me, and I was ready to kill him and then myself to rest our souls in peace.  
  
I dropped to the ground, clutching my head in my hands, trying to rid the memories from existence. Tears burned beneath my eyelids and my breathing became more rapid. I don't want to remember. Just let me be alone and let everything be okay. Can everything be okay again?  
  
I felt a warm presence around me, surrounding me like the mist. It was comforting and relaxing. It made me want to jump up and grab hold of it before I lost it for good. It made me want to continue on and face my fears no matter how horrible they are or how horrible they seem to be. I felt the presence warm me inside and out. My tears dried and they became nothing but a memory. The presence spoke up.  
  
"You are never alone. I'll be with you forever. We'll face this together, along side each other. You can make it. You are strong and you are my love. Nothing will end us. Nothing will stop your spirit."  
  
The warmth seeped into my body and I could feel it spread through my lungs and into my heart. It coursed through my arms and down my legs to the soles of my feet. We became one. Will we continue to be?  
  
{---[::End of Sango's Dream::]---}  
  
"Shh, it's okay. It's okay Sango."  
  
The demon exterminator's eyes fluttered open in a mix of sleepy confusion and subtle despair. She felt two gentle hands make circles along her spine. The voice from her monk whispered comforting words in a gentle manner. ::Huh? What's going on?:: She looked down and noticed she was sitting in her companion's lap. A small blush heatedly spread over her cold cheeks.  
  
"Umm. Miroku? Could you uhh. let me go? Please?"  
  
The Buddhist monk pulled back half-heartedly and gazed into the soft confused chocolate brown eyes of his love, keeping their faces only a few centimeters apart. He was concerned about her well-being. He thought she was doing fine digesting everything that had happened between them and the world- that is until she started squirming in his grasp and breathing heavy, calling out his name. She was probably unaware of this and the tears that still stained her flawless face. She looked so blanch and fragile that he made an oath to himself to protect her no matter what.  
  
"Sure but Sango? Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine Houshi-sama but I would be even better if you let me go please," Sango said. She wasn't in the mood right now. She wanted to think about everything, especially the dream she recently had. She was confused about the voice in her dreams even though she thought the voice was very familiar to her.  
  
Miroku reluctantly released his hold from around her waist, still wanting to know the reason for her previous and present behavior. She got up off his lap in a hurry, a blush tinting her pale cheeks and dried tears staining her face. Sango walked over to the window. It was the same exact window where they had kissed last night during the storm. Luckily the storm was still over and not raging on outside. Even if it was, they all were safe in the secure confines of the wooden cabin.  
  
The monk sat there in the chair, shifting his weight to make himself comfortable. He remembered what she called him. It was what she used to call him. -'Houshi-sama'-. It was a familiar name to him but so unfamiliar now that they had become closer, or he had thought they had. ::I'm back at square one again. Women:: Miroku sighed sadly and a frown saddened the features on his face, making him seem older than he really was.  
  
A sonorous grumble from a hungry stomach sounded throughout the cabin. A blushing demon slayer turned to her beloved monk and sheepishly smiled. The Buddhist monk smirked at her and chuckled lightly. It had been days since they had had their last meal and they were both dying to have a scrumptious amount of food.  
  
"Someone's hungry I presume?" asked a tired, but enchanted voice behind Miroku.  
  
They both turned to confront the voice. It was Otaki-seisui, the blue-haired demon. "I can imagine you both are starving after all the hardships you've been through. Come. Let's go get some food while we can. Who knows when my half-sister will be back. Might as well enjoy the time we have left till she arrives once more." The mysterious woman spoke the truth and both Sango and Miroku both nodded at her statements.  
  
Miroku stood up from the wooden chair and stretched his arms up into the air, yawning. Sango observed his body while he stretched with a lust-filled look present in her eyes. Food was not the only thing she was hungry for. Otaki observed the scene in front of her with a knowing smile. Sango blushed as she caught Otaki's gaze, embarrassed she was caught looking at her beloved monk in such a manner. Miroku looked back and forth between his love and the mysterious woman before walked over to his demon slayer, placing his arm around her waist possessively. She looked up at him awestruck. Otaki just smiled more.  
  
Sango walked over to the door with Miroku clinging to his waist and opened it to gruesome sight pinned to the wooden cabin door. All three of them gasped at the site. It was a red and gray American Kestrel falcon about 12 inches in body length and it was pinned to the door by a flaming arrow with a crimson bird feather attached to it. The bird appeared to be dead until it made an inhumane tortured noise sounding like a screech. Sango jumped back and clutched onto Miroku's robes tightly. She wanted to tear her eyes away from the site but couldn't. The falcon flapped its wings, trying to remove the damned arrow from itself but that proved unsuccessful. Throughout this scene, the falcon screeched in agony and the onlookers remained rooted to their spots, staring at the tortured bird in pity, sorrow, and bewilderment.  
  
After a few unpleasant moments after the falcon's dreadful death, the blue-haired woman stepped forward and placed a thin hand gently over the falcon's chest. She whispered a few words to the abused creature.  
  
"Nakayasumi oite yasuragi, my sister," Otaki said with a strained voice. The dead falcon and the arrow had disappeared from sight. Tears threatened to spill over but she was determined not to cry at a moment like this. Even though she knew her half-sister hadn't been herself and she needed release from this life and into death, Otaki knew that her half-sister didn't deserve this. It was all that damned demon Naraku! It was all his fault! He had come to their tribe and something since that day had changed her half- sister. He was not going to get away with this. Her hands tightened into fists and she turned away from the cabin, walking away from the demon slayer and the Buddhist priest.  
  
"Otaki." Sango called out softly. She was about to go after the woman but a hand on her upper arm stopped her. Sango looked down at the hand. It was the cursed hand. The rosary beads bit lightly into her flesh through the thin layer of her demon outfit. She looked up and stared into the somber violet eyes of her beloved houshi.  
  
"Let her go. She needs some time to think alone," Miroku spoke softly, but clearly. Sango bowed her head in defeat at his words.  
  
"I just hope she's alright," Sango whispered.  
  
"She will be. Now come. Let's go inside and eat. I think I might have some ramen stashed away somewhere in my robes," Miroku said. He caught her suspicious look. "Don't give me that look. So I took a few extra packages from Lady Kagome's bag. You never know when they might come in handy." He winked at her and a blush traveled over her cheeks. They went inside and shut the wooden door of the cabin. Maybe they could get a hold of their hunger- for the food and for each other.  
  
{---[::Otaki-seisui::]---}  
  
The blue-haired demon wiped the tears trailing down her cheeks as she ran faster and deeper into the wet lush forest. She still couldn't rid the site of her half-sister's dead demon form pinned to the cabin door from her mind. The image was just so clear and vivid. It would probably stay with her for weeks. She'd go crazy seeing it everyday, even in her sleeps. She would be haunted by the site and her thoughts would be consumed of the horrid picture of her half-sister's body. She didn't deserve it! She didn't deserve it at all!  
  
::So help me I will kill you Naraku! You shall die at my hands!::  
  
Otaki kept running and running as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't know how long she ran or how far she went but after a while, she stopped running and just collapsed onto the soaked forest floor. She didn't care about the rain water that seeped into her clothes or the fact that sticks and other unknown objects were bunched into her sky blue hair that was matted to her skull from cold sweat. She didn't care that she had specks of mud across her face and on her forehead. Her clothes were lined with mud. She didn't care that her once brilliant sky blue eyes were red from her tears and from the harsh wind that stung her eyes when she ran blindly through the forest. She didn't care! She just wanted Naraku dead!  
  
"You're not looking for well Otaki-seisui," called a haunting voice a few paces ahead. The blue-haired woman looked up and spotted the enemy of her thoughts and the murderer of her half-sister. The baboon-pelted demon sat on a tree stump, looking down at her. His eyes were hidden from her site even though he could see her very clearly. Otaki strained her body to get up off the ground and onto her foot. She stood there on shaky legs, staring hatefully at her half-sister's killer.  
  
"Shut up you bastard! How dare you show your despicable face after your crime?! YOU KILLED MY SISTER!" Otaki yelled at her enemy.  
  
"Half-sister, if I am correct, which I'm sure I am. You owe me something Otaki," Naraku calmly spoke.  
  
"I owe you nothing but you owe me your death, you cocky bastard! A life for a life! You killed my sister's and I shall gladly take yours!" Otaki magically appeared a long sword in her hands, ready to slice the demon in half.  
  
"Oh you do owe me something, dear Otaki. I got rid of that half-sister of yours with pleasure. You should be grateful because weren't you the one after her death? I merely finished the job for you," Naraku replied. "You are in my debt Otaki. Ready to make payment?"  
  
"I'd rather die," Otaki spat at him.  
  
"Your death shall come soon enough. But till then," Naraku said, pulling out shard from the Shikon no Tama. He released it and it went flying at Otaki-seisui at a great speed she couldn't dodge. It tore through the clothing on her back and embedded itself into Otaki's flesh. She dropped to the ground on her knees and was breathing heavy. She clutched onto her chest and then fell forward with a light thud.  
  
After a moment, Naraku spoke up again. "Rise to your feet Otaki now." The blue-haired woman lifted herself off the ground and stared at the baboon-pelted demon with blank blue eyes.  
  
"I want you to go back to the cabin and kill both that monk and the demon slayer. Is that understood?" commanded the demon Naraku.  
  
"It is understood," spoke Otaki in an emotionless and mellow voice.  
  
"Perfect," Naraku replied. "Now go." He disappeared and Otaki turned around facing the direction she had come from. The blue-haired woman started running back to the wooden cabin where the two unknown victims were waiting for their death and the goddess-like demon was ready to give them their release from life.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So how's this story turning out? I left it at a cliffhanger! But just wait till next time. I have school tomorrow and it's like 1 AM right now. Best go to bed. I'm going to be so tired tomorrow. Sorry for not updating sooner but the next chapter will come out in about 2 weeks. Stay tuned!  
  
By the way, 'Nakayasumi oite yasuragi' means Rest in peace.  
  
-Heather Christi (=^_^=) 


	12. Chapter Twelve: Don't Knock On My Door

Fateful Curse by Heather Christi  
  
DISCLAIMER: Too lazy to type this anymore. Go back to earlier chapters to see it.  
  
I'm a little late on my updating. I need some support from you fans. You reviewers keep me inspired and give me hope and confidence in my stories! Thank you all who have stuck with me!  
  
::thoughts:: ENJOY!  
  
Chapter Twelve: Don't Knock On My Door  
  
"Sango, I'm falling in love with you," spoke the perverted priest in a guarded and frightened voice.  
  
The demon slayer sat there staring at her companion in awe, confusion, disbelief, and shock. She didn't quite understand. :: You mean those wandering hands of his didn't just mindlessly grope me for some weird twisted pleasure of seeing me squirm under his grasp? Did he really like me the whole time? What was the point of those touches? He didn't bring me closer to him. His way of 'handling' things (mostly her backside) had only pushed me away. Was that what he intended in the beginning?::  
  
"You don't have to say anything Sango. I just wanted to let you know, just in case. You never know when a demon could come out of no where and tear you limb from limb," said Miroku truthfully.  
  
Unfortunately his words only caused images to project in her mind like a movie. Most of the images reminded of her of her brother Kohaku and her father. ::I can't think about this now. I have to keep focused on Miroku and *this* problem. Maybe he wanted to push me away because he didn't want anyone to get hurt. Wait! He knows he's going to die unless he defeats Naraku. He doesn't want to chance anyone getting attached to him because he thinks that he'd only cause them pain. It makes sense but one thing doesn't. If this really is true, why'd he kiss me?::  
  
"Miroku. . . I don't know what to say," spoke the confused demon slayer. "I'm confused. What about those women, the women you asked to bear your child? What do those women mean to you? Why'd you ask them that?"  
  
He was silent for a moment before he picked up and started again.  
  
"Sango, you have to understand some things about me first," Miroku started but he was interrupted by a light knock on the cabin door. It could only be one person.  
  
With a few mumbles (probably curses) under his breath, the perverted houshi walked over to the door in annoyance and irritation and opened it up to reveal the blue-haired goddess-like beauty Otaki-seisui. Her sky blue eyes were teary and red-rimmed, lacking their normal spark and energy. She looked exhausted but she stood there proud with her chin in the air defiantly, not daring to let any of the unshed tears in her eyes fall and roll down her cheeks like a small warm river of salt and hopelessness. She may have been crying inside but something was keeping her from showing it. What was controlling her? She didn't even know.  
  
"Otaki! I was so worried!" exclaimed Sango. She launched her body at the blue-haired woman and held onto her tightly; burying her face into her neck (Otaki's taller than her). "I thought you left us for good!" Otaki gently embraced her back with the same fierceness as Sango while Miroku looked on at the scene with annoyance and jealousy.  
  
"It's okay Sango. I'm alright. It's just that my sister," Otaki broke off with a choked sob, burying her face deeper into Sango's hair, searching for comfort from the raven-haired demon huntress. Otaki was so afraid she was going to lose another one closer to her. She didn't know that it was going to be her own hands that would take Sango's soul from this world.  
  
"Shh, it's okay. I'm here for you and so is Miroku," with that Sango released Otaki from her hug and walked over to Miroku to stand at his side. He automatically wrapped an arm around her waist to bring her closer to his warm body. She looked up at him and his violet eyes were standing down at her with great fondness and affection shining in its depths. Sango smiled warmly up at him. ::I think I could grow to love my houshi::  
  
Otaki looked on at the scene with a knowing sad smile on her features. Something didn't feel right though. She felt as if she knew something was going to happen, something not good. She was getting bad vibes from all around her but mostly coming from the couple stand in front of here, staring lovingly at each other.  
  
A crackle sounded from the low fire over on the side of the room in the stone fireplace. The golden light from the fire sent a warm aura over the cabin and showered its insiders with a healthy cozy glow. The Buddhist priest looked at the fireplace and glared at it in annoyance.  
  
"Sango, I'll be right back. I better get some more dry wood for the fire," he said.  
  
Miroku bent down and brushed his lips across her soft cheek. She could feel the blood rush to her face. When he pulled back, she swore she could still feel his warm lips on her skin. Sango was such in a daze that she didn't even notice that a whole stack of dry wood was towered in a pile by the side of the fireplace. Her love seemed to be blinding her. Otaki didn't feel compelled to tell him about the wood either. The monk walked over to the cabin door and exited the room, leaving Sango in the hands of a possible murderer.  
  
"You are very lucky," Otaki said, knocking Sango out of her daze and back into reality. Otaki was sending her a loving smile that sent the huntress in confusion.  
  
"I. . .I. . .I don't know what you. . . mean Otaki," the demon slayer managed to pipe out.  
  
Something in the atmosphere seemed to change at that moment. The aura didn't seem so warm and comfortable. It felt dark and gloomy, almost sinister and evil. It was cooler in the air but maybe that was because of the low fire that couldn't spread its warmth too far. They were standing a good three feet apart and Sango could still see the mysterious woman's features well. The demon huntress felt bad vibes clutch at her heart as she saw something somewhere in Otaki's sky blue eyes flicker with emotion.  
  
"You are very lucky you have that priest with you. Unfortunately for you, you won't be around long enough to appreciate your good fortune. Your luck has just run out!" Otaki spat at Sango. Otaki's words sent a chill tumbling down the length of Sango's spine and she shuddered at the strange feeling.  
  
The blue-haired woman (suspiciously somehow not related to miss famous Wonder Woman) held up her hand in front and a sword magically formed in her slender hand. The silver of the sword's piercing blade seemed to fool the naked eye and gleam in the fire glow that encased the one-room log cabin.  
  
Sango took a step back, trying to get away from the now crazed falcon demon. "Otaki, what are you doing?!" She kept backing away but that didn't help because every time she took a step back, Otaki took a step forward. Shakily, Sango put her hand on the hilt of her sword's base and pulled the sharp object out of its sheath. She held the sword with two hands in front of her unsteadily and kept backing up with Otaki still keeping with her movements.  
  
"I thought it was pretty obvious what I'm going to do Sango," the demon said. Her voice was very calm and casual as if it was an everyday activity for her but it was almost like she was scolding her too. "No more words Sango. It'll only distract us from what fate really wants to happen her today," Otaki spoke.  
  
With that, she lunged at Sango with her sword but it was blocked with the demon huntress's. Otaki pulled back and swung for her legs. Sango jumped up at the right time and swung her own sword down to meet with Otaki's shoulder. The falcon demon's speed prevented that and she quickly dodged the blowing take with great agility. Otaki moved back till she was a few feet away from Sango.  
  
"Enough of this child plays. Time for some real action!" Otaki held her hand out in front of her with a crazy glint gleaming in her sky blue eyes. She started chanting something over and over in Japanese. "Shou oyobi fuubi gogyou dzuki mi-to motte sukin!"  
  
Sango stared in amazement as she saw Otaki's hand glow silver and azure. The tips of her fingers were a light emerald and the palm was a faint crimson. She looked up at Otaki's face and a crazy smile that you see on people at mental institutions graced her features in a sadistic way. Sango knew she was in big trouble (emphasis on big).  
  
Blasts of dark red beams came out of her hand and missed Sango's face by inches! The demon huntress gasped as she felt the heat of the blast as it passed by her face. Second, blasts of light blue beams shot out and hit smack dab in the middle of Sango's stomach with such force it caused her to double over at the pain. It felt like the wind was being knocked out of her. Blasts of forest green beams appeared and wrapped around Sango like vines, putting her in a body wrap. She tried to struggle out of their grasp but the more she moved, the tighter the vines got. That didn't stop her from struggle though.  
  
One moment the falcon demon was away from her and the next second she was standing a foot away, holding Sango's chin in her hand. Sango stared up at her in hatred and Otaki just smirked down at her amusingly.  
  
"I think its time to finish this now," Otaki said venomously. She backed away until she was a reasonable distance away from the demon slayer. Otaki held up her hand which was still going bright. Sango stared in horror, thinking that this was her last. "See you in hell."  
  
A silver and azure beam shot out as quickly as lightning. Raven and sky blue hair fluttered down on the scene, both of the rivals falling heavily to hit the dusty cabin's floor. Crimson blood flowed down smooth tan skin and dripped into a puddle on the hard floor. The wall beside the fireplace lay in ruins of stone and wood. The meddling smoke cleared up and a figure clad in purple robes stepped into the scene. The figure rushed over to the demon huntress's side anxious and worried for her safety and wellbeing.  
  
"Sango! Sango! Are you okay?" The priest took his love into his arm, feeling something sharp prick through his robes and into his skin. He could see the outline of something wrapped around his beloved slayer. He hastily tore the vines off of her body, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his hand when a thorn pierced through his flesh.  
  
Once all the intruding vines were gone, the perverted houshi took the huntress in his arms and held her close and tight to him. "Sango say something," asked the concerned monk.  
  
"Miroku? Is that you?" Sango coughed out.  
  
When the monk heard her voice and was sure she was revived into consciousness, he held onto her tighter and embraced her like no tomorrow. "You scared me. I thought you were hurt badly or maybe even worse. Are you alright my dear Sango?" She blushed at the meaning of his words. He cared for her deeply and he also called her his.  
  
"I'm fine. Although I now know that stones are not a good rebound for falling," the huntress said. Miroku chuckled and was glad she was okay. "Something puzzles me though. I don't understand what happened to Otaki. Why was she acting this way? Wait a minute! Where is that traitor?!" Sango exclaimed, alarmed and worried. She tried to free herself from Miroku's grasp but he held her tightly.  
  
"Hush my dear Sango. Let me explain," Miroku stated calmly and Sango halted in her struggling.  
  
"Alright, I am listening, my houshi." The monk felt a faint blush creep upon his cheeks. He leaned back to stare into Sango's chocolate brown eyes. The huntress blushed at his very calculating and intimate stare. Miroku reached into his robes and pulled out a dark pink shard from the Shikon jewel. Sango stared at the jewel in amazement. She had never seen a jewel shard this close before. She could feel the evil from the shard come off of it almost in waves.  
  
"Do you see this Sango?" Miroku asked. She nodded. "This was embedded in her back just like one that is embedded in your brother's back." Sango frowned at his words and she cringed in disgust. The demon slayer stared at the jewel shard in hatred. "Do you understand what that means?"  
  
"Partly," Sango replied softly.  
  
"It means that Naraku was using her to get to us. He was only toying with her and using her as a puppet. No wonder Otaki had called him a coward," Miroku explained. Sango was disgusted in that sinister demon. She wanted him dead more than ever. He had messed with Otaki's life just like he had to so many others. Oh how she hated that demon to no ends. She wanted him gone!  
  
"Wait a minute Miroku. How'd you get that shard out of her back?" Sango asked, removing her eyes from the jewel to stare into Miroku's violet orbs.  
  
"She dropped her sword when she was casting those spells on you. I picked it up and. well you know what happened. I'm so glad I got to her first before she got to you. I don't know what I would have down if I lost you Sango!" Miroku leaned down and embraced her tightly in fear. Afraid that if he let her go, she would disappear forever.  
  
"Miroku," Sango said, returning the embrace back just as tightly. "I think. . . no! I know that. . . I'm falling in love with you."  
  
Miroku pulled back to look into Sango's chocolate brown eyes searching for the truth. When he found what he was looking for, he leaned down and captured her soft lips with his own, taking in her soul, her heart, and her love.  
  
What he found in her eyes was much more than what he thought at the time. He saw her fear of the future and what would happen to them. He saw her happiness at being alive and being here with him. He saw her despair for the future and for their loss. He saw her beautiful untainted soul and he embraced it.  
  
Now they had to embrace their fate, together. It was just a matter of if they could conquer it or not.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
'Shou oyobi fuubi gogyou dzuki mi-to motte sukin' mean 'destroy with the elements' basically.  
  
How'd you like it? That's it actually. The story is over. I have the epilogue coming up next and I hope you liked it! Thanks for everyone that stuck with me throughout this project. I will have a page dedicated to all my reviewers who reviewed even if for one chapter (which most of you did)! Thank you so much and look forward to more of my stories!  
  
-Heather Christi (=^-^=) 


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